The Space Between
by Limitless Musings
Summary: A murder investigation, an unwilling witness and a clouded sense of justice. In between solving this case or saving a life, Okita knows that there's only one thing he that can count on: Himself.
1. Murder of the Century

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Summary:_ Every day he walked the razor thin line between morality and depravity. Amid his sense of justice and unrealistic ideals stood a girl—an unwilling witness to the space between reality and madness.

 _Pairing: Okita/Kagome_

 _Suggested Listening:_ Honeythief by Halou

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter One:** Murder of the Century

"Eleven months ago Omoikiri Inuyasha was found dead in the Omoikiri Enterprise's newly constructed building." A feminine voice rattled off from the bright flicker of the television screen. A man sat in his recliner and stretched his legs comfortably across the leg rest. "He was seventeen years old and head of his school's Kendo Club." Ah, the useless details came first. Something to draw in the viewers and illicit sympathy from the poor saps. He reached into the front pocket of his jacket. His fingers brushed against the familiar carton of his preferred brand of cigarettes. It'd been a habit he picked up back in his early days of patrolling the streets. It had a calming effect on his nerves so he never really tried to kick the habit. The man brought the cigarette to his mouth and swiftly used a spare lighter lying on his armrest to light up. A thin, curling line of smoke billowed into the living room.

It was always cold as shit in this house. The heater was busted and barely worked at the best of times. So coffee and smokes ended up being his preferred method of keeping warm. Of course he could always pay a technician to repair the damn thing but with the mortgage as high as it was, he'd rather just freeze. The man stretched his legs comfortably as he took a long inhale and allowed his body to relax. With a low exhale, another pillar of smoke billowed into the living room in curling waves.

"He was found strangled and severely beaten to death. An anonymous source reported the murder however no new details have emerged from the case since." The reported shuffled her papers as she lifted her head to stare directly into the camera. "If anyone has any information, please call our hotline directly at…" He tuned out at that point. It was just a flimsy excuse to keep the murder current in the media outlets. The one year anniversary was coming up so the Omoikiri family, more specifically Omoikiri Touga, put the pressure on the news stations to maintain interest in Inuyasha's untimely death. He took another long drag from his cigarette. Good luck with that. Even though it'd been labeled as the "murder of the century" by eager reporters due to the high profile of the Omoikiri name, interest would slowly dwindle away and die off before any real work could be done. Well, it wasn't like he cared all that much about public perception anyways. His job only consisted of solving the crimes everyone else was content to forget about. He was certain Inuyasha would be no different.

"What a shame to lose such a talented young man…" They droned on from the television. Suddenly more of the news anchors pitched into the topic, feigning sympathy to garner higher ratings. What a crock of shit. His hand shifted to change the station but found himself drawn in at the last tidbit of their conversation. "A vigil will be held next month at midnight for Inuyasha. His family will be in attendance." They swiftly moved to the next subject.

"I'm sure that more information will come out soon. Now, onto traffic…" He snorted once more. What she didn't say was that there _wasn't_ any more leads. No finger prints, no blood, not even the tiniest bit of fabric or hair from the perpetrator. It was almost as if Inuyasha had caused his own murder. Although that whimsical theory wouldn't explain the severe beating he'd taken and bruising around his neck. The marks that were left were indicative of another person. Not only that but judging by the size of the bruising and extensive damage done to his body from the scuffle, it was surmised that his attacker had been a male. A female wouldn't have been able to leave such large marks around his neck. Nor would she have been able to beat him that bloody without a weapon. The entire murder had been committed bare handed.

So with an unarmed suspect, no evidence and not even a trace of what the perpetrator used to cover his tracks, they were stuck in a serious bind. Of course there were two options left that they could presume. The first, he was murdered by a ghost. The man nearly allowed a snort to pass his lips at that thought. He wasn't exactly the type of person to be caught up in the fantastical or superstitious, so the idea of some disembodied entity killing a living being was simply ludicrous to him. Which left the final and most likely option, he'd been killed by someone who knew how to clean up after themselves. His brows furrowed at that. Now _that_ was something he could believe in. The question was how could he have kept his prints off of the body while strangling his victim? There wasn't even a trace of latex or any fibers from cloth-type gloves. His mood darkened even more. He hated this sense of helplessness. It was his damn job to figure this shit out and suddenly everything had ground to a halt. No witnesses. No murder weapon. Not even the inkling of an enemy in the kid's life.

He supposed that it could've been an attempted kidnapping gone wrong. However there was little evidence to support that either. Inuyasha had gone to that construction site with the intent to meet someone. Someone he knew and trusted. Someone he thought that he could talk to without interruption or putting himself at risk. While most ransoms were committed by those close to the victims, it still seemed odd to him that of all the kids in that family, Inuyasha was their chosen target. He was strong and more than capable of defending himself. If a person really wanted to get at Touga then they'd be more likely to go after Higurashi Kagome or her younger brother, Higurashi Souta. Both were related through marriage but they were weaker and easier targets to grab. The idea of a ransom being the motive for the attack dwindled further and further into the nothingness of impossibility the more he thought about it.

In spite of these already cloudy circumstances, there was one aspect of this case that continually bothered him: The caller. The person didn't just call in to report a body; they'd called as the murder was occurring. The time of death had been placed between 21:00 and 22:00. The call had come in right at 21:17. Not only that but they didn't stick around long enough to give their statement to the police. The person had fled the scene and the phone that they'd recovered a couple of blocks away in an abandoned parking lot was merely a burner—no identifiable information had been left on it whatsoever. No contacts. No calls in or out other than the one placed to the station. Even the serial number had been scratched off. They were forced to try to track it down and when they did, they only found Inuyasha to be the purchaser. It was a strange set of circumstances to begin with. So whoever it was that tossed that phone had seen the murder and ran. He took another drag from the cigarette. If only they had a lead…

His own phone began to vibrate noisily on his other armrest. Reaching over he grasped at the device and slid his finger across the screen.

"What'd you find?" There was no need for a formal greeting. The man on the other side of the line would've agreed as well.

"We've identified the caller."

Okita froze. Seriously? Just like that?

"You certain?" He pressed tentatively. The other male gave a noise of agreement.

"Yes. We managed to recover some testimony of a girl fleeing the scene minutes after the call was placed to dispatch. We tracked down nearby surveillance cameras and figured out her identity." There was a brief pause along with the sound of papers being shuffled. "Our caller is Higurashi Kagome. She was spotted running from the Omoikiri construction site that night and was later caught on camera at a gas station two blocks from the murder."

The detective gave a thoughtful hum. Higurashi Kagome? They'd interviewed her of course in the initial round of the investigation. To say that she was 'odd' was an understatement. She was seventeen at the time and hardly looked up from her interlocked hands. She gave single-syllabic answers and only responded when she'd been spoken to. It'd been suspicious but he figured it to have been part of the grieving process for her as well. Perhaps that was the wrong assumption? He ran through the information in his mind once more. Higurashi Kagome was the step-daughter of Omoikiri Touga and step-sister of Omoikiri Inuyasha. While her mother, Higurashi Izumi, had been married to his father for three short years, they'd been in contact with one another since the early days in their youth. To put it mildly, she and Inuyasha had been childhood friends long before their parents decided to tie the knot. He scratched at his chin as this new found information processed in his mind.

"How do we know that she's only the caller? She could very well be an accomplice to the killer." It wasn't unheard of for suspects to call in their own crimes. Usually it was done as a means to throw suspicion off of themselves. Still it was very odd to call in and then run the way she did. It indicated fear. But fear of what? Being caught by the police, or being caught by the killer? Now, where to go from here…

"Unlikely. She was filmed on a surveillance camera with a cell phone similar to the one we recovered. She returned to the same station later without one and made a call on a payphone outside." The other man paused. "She's our caller but I do not believe that she's the one responsible for Inuyasha's death."

He gave a small sight, "So you think she's a witness? Saw the murder first hand, called it in to stop it, then fled when she realized that her step-brother was dead?" The dots did seem to connect, but there were still a few issues. Why toss the phone? Why not give her testimony to the police? She'd kept her distance from this entire investigation. This whole situation screamed of malicious intent.

"Indeed, however it's just conjecture." His partner added.

"You mean a hunch." Okita let loose a mirthless laugh. All those TV dramas and cop shows emphasized the importance of an investigator's hunch—always leading them in the right direction and solving the unsolvable. Well, that was a load of shit to begin with. They weren't anymore or any less intuitive than the average person on the street. What separated them from Joe Blow screaming at his television about who the killer was in his favorite episode was the fact that they had _experience_ in detecting lies. The evidence was the gold standard of getting a conviction, but being able to tell who's lying and who's being honest was an imperative skillset when dealing with killers.

"Well regardless, Higurashi is involved somehow. Lets see what we can get out of her tomorrow." There was another sound of agreement for before the line went dead. Eleven months and finally they had a new lead. Okita's gaze drifted towards the abnormally thin file upon his table. Perhaps it was time to review the evidence with a new perspective. A smirk drew across his lips. It was time to solve the 'murder of the century'. He flipped open the file and pilfered through the facts. Through his window he spied the beginnings of dawn starting to bleed over the horizon. Just a little bit longer. That was all he needed.

 **A/n:** This was a bit of a gritty idea that I'd came up with originally. It was only supposed to be what I like to call a "Monster One-shot" (30K word+ single chapter one shot) but given how intense OPAH is right now and the fact that I want to remain focused on it, I've decided to do smaller "bite-sized" chapters with this story. I've still got a two part series coming up, but I'll post that once I've polished a few things. Anyways, let me know what you think! ;P


	2. Keeping the Silence

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Pairing: Okita/Kagome_

 _Suggested Listening:_ Dead to Me by Melanie Martinez

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Two** : Keeping the Silence

Kagome shifted uncomfortably in the hard plastic chair. She placed her hands under her thighs and clenched her legs together—a vain hope that maybe it would warm her just a tiny bit. The winter had set in full just outside the tiny, squat building of the district's police precinct. Their town was a small but well known one all the same. Per Capita more wealthy people lived in this tiny city than they did in Tokyo. Her step-family being one of the top names that ran circles in the tabloids daily. Her lips twisted downwards. Gods she hated that. It was a serious pain in the ass.

Her eyes drifted towards the false ceiling hanging above her head. Dark brown stains stretched over the top where water had once flooded the ceiling. A particular scent of mold and body odor seemed to permanently thicken the air. The teen snorted through her nose. Sure officers worked long hours, but were they so incapable of hiring someone to do the repairs for them? It seemed rather odd to her that the town with the most money to go around did nothing for the police force that supposedly protected them. Or was there perhaps money being hemorrhaged to an outside source somewhere? That did seem quite likely.

She arched her back until she'd nearly leaned over the entire back support of her chair. It'd already been three hours since she'd been dragged into this little interrogation room. There weren't any windows. There was no noise. There wasn't even a whiteboard or phone. Just a two-way mirror, a table and some plastic chairs the likes of which she hadn't seen since her primary years. Within her the sleeve of her parka, she withdrew a mechanical pencil. It wasn't ideal but it had been all that she managed to grab before the detectives hauled her down to the station. Kagome's lips twisted downward at the thought.

Honestly, it was a pain in the ass having to come back here. It'd been almost a year since she had last been pulled into this very same room. Back then her step-father had been beside her the whole time. He'd kept the conversation short and to the point—not allowing the officers to do more than ask simple questions of her whereabouts during the night. At the time she hadn't a chance to even register what was happening around her. She'd been so deep in shock. The teen started to scratch into the soft wood of the desk. So small was their budget that even the desk was made of the cheap wood from elementary schools. At least this would make her task that much easier. For several minutes the only noise that filled the room was that of her pencil scratching against the surface of the table.

Inadvertently her mind began to wonder. It was true that she could call on her step-father to help bail her out of this situation but it felt entirely wrong to do so. Her lips twisted downwards. She didn't like it. She didn't like it at all. Kagome had never really felt comfortable asking her family for anything. It'd been ingrained in her since her youth that to make a request was to impart a burden unto those around her.

 _"Silent, child. You shall burden others with your menial requests."_

Oh how easily those words had slipped past her mother's lips without a care in the world. At least she didn't have any for anything outside of her own vanity. Ah, yes that was right. Kagome herself meant virtually _nothing_ to the woman who'd given her life. Next to beauty, alcohol and sex, Kagome was just the burden that she couldn't get ride of. Out of all the things her parent had said, 'menial' had been the word that was thrown at her the most. The teen's request for simple items such as fitting clothes and shampoo were "trivial" at best and utterly "bothersome" on most occasions. Memories of the cold, bitter nights filled her mind. The smell of booze and rotting food invaded her senses as if she were still living in the squalor that was once a shrine. It wasn't like she wasn't used to it by now. From one hell hole to another, all without any semblance of care. Except for _him._ However even now there was a snide voice in the back of her mind, whispering viciously about her true feelings on the matter.

She was a burden. Her life held no meaning to the ones who'd brought her into this world. Still...

Her hands curled tightly around the pencil still being held firmly between her fingers.

Still she wanted desperately to find her purpose. She didn't want to die a meaningless death. To live with no meaning and to die without even trying to find it... that was unthinkable to her.

Her scratching stopped as she finished the word she'd wanted to carve. If she couldn't say the things that she wished then she'd leave her message the best way that she could. It'd be small but it was still _something_. That was all that mattered. Kagome slipped the pencil back into the security of her sleeve. She sat stiffly in the hard, plastic chair under the blast of the AC Unit. The harsh fluorescent lighting blared down from the ceiling of the otherwise colorless room. She briefly wondered how much longer it'd be before someone finally came to talk to her. She steeled her heart. No matter what they threw at her she couldn't talk. Not for their sake.

The door to the tiny, frigid room suddenly swung inward. The teen's eyes were riveted to the two silhouettes darkening the entryway.

"Good evening Omoikiri-san," A cheery voice greeted her. It was only evening because they'd kept her waiting for so long. She had arrived in the early afternoon. They knew that since they had been the ones to yank her from school and into the back of their car. Kagome's expression soured. She hated that name. Although she was certain the man already knew as much. He was taunting her. How typical. Unfortunately for him she wouldn't break so easily.

"Higurashi." She corrected him curtly. Lifting her head, she steadied her gaze upon piercing emerald eyes. "I prefer to go by Higurashi if you don't mind."

"Heh?" The almost stranger drawled curiously. "You dislike it that much? Interesting."

She turned her head. There was nothing interesting about teenage rebellion but she couldn't state that frankly to him or his partner. It'd only draw more suspicion onto herself.

"Well Higurashi-san," The man corrected himself with a slight laugh, as if he was only using the name to humor her. "I'm Detective Okita Souji and this is my partner Saito Hajime. I believe that we've met once or twice before." The other male gave a curt nod at his introduction. "We just have a few questions we'd like you to answer if you don't mind." There was a subtle threat behind his words. Just the slightest glint of a warning reflected in his eyes. She might not be a prime suspect but they weren't above detaining her to get the answers that they wanted.

Her lips thinned. This night just got a whole lot longer.

"Then ask. Don't bullshit with me." The man now known as Okita raised his brows at her brusque response.

"Angry?" His voice still held that teasing note but his gaze was sharper now; hardening into an edge of suspicion.

"Anger, frustration, what's the difference?" She sat back and sighed. "Besides we all know that you're just doing this because of the anniversary. It's not like talking to me is going to get you any viable leads."

Wrong again. She had all the leads. In fact she was the only person capable of bringing this mystery to an end. She bit the inside of her cheek and held her tongue. She couldn't talk. Not here. Not to these people. There was still one person that needed her; that required her silence for their protection. So long as their life was at stake, she'd keep her mouth shut. It was the only thing she could do. But that didn't mean that she was _completely_ incapable of leaving the breadcrumbs necessary. Her thumb instinctively rubbed against the engraving she'd left in the desk.

"Funny," Okita's slanted grin grew sharp. "I didn't think you were privy that sort of information. Tell me _exactly_ what it is you think you know. Because I can guarantee you that you're wrong on all accounts." The man slid into the seat next to her. He folded his arms over the desk and leaned forward on his forearms. The scent of coffee and cigarettes hit her nose. She shot him an odd glance. It would seem that even officers had their addictions—coffee being one of the worse. He leaned heavily on his arms, purposely invading her personal space. It was a show of intimidation but she didn't so much as flinch. It wasn't like there was much that startled her anymore. Not after that night…. Her mind trailed off.

"Are you arresting me?" She wouldn't have access to legal counsel until the court proceedings. Mostly because she _loathed_ having to deal with her step-father's lawyer. The man was as dirty as they came. For now she could keep her silence. That was her only option at this point.

"You're not under arrest." Saito took a seat on her opposing side. The dark haired man placed a thin, manila folder on the table. Casually his deft fingers opened it to reveal an image of herself. On the bottom corner she observed the timestamp. 21:21 on the dot. The date was, of course, the night of the murder. Her fingers curled into tight fists over her jeans. She'd been caught. Well almost anyways. The image was grainy at best. But still she was visible from the corner of the camera's angle. Her back was just facing close enough towards the front of the store that her face could be made out among the darkened outlines of the parking lot. In her hand was the phone she'd long since disposed of.

She was screwed.

"Tell us exactly what happened the night of the murder, Higurashi-san." Unlike Okita's blatant aggression, Saito was more subdued. A fiery determination burned in his azure eyes as his tone remained calm and even. He reminded her of water. So placid on the surface yet so violent beneath the currents. She had to keep her oath.

Kagome spoke nothing. Her brows furrowed as she pushed the folder back at him. She couldn't talk. Not here. Not now. Not like _this_. As if sensing her resolution, Saito pressed forward.

"Being silent will do you no favors. You will only incriminate yourself." He gestured towards the picture. "We have enough evidence to place you at the scene of the crime the night it happened. We also know that you were the one to call it in." His partner watched her intently, keeping a keen eye on her for any sign of deceit. She _really_ fucking hated this part. How had her life gone to shit so quickly? From bright student to being suspected as an accomplice to murder. Just how much worse would it get from here? Her teeth gnashed together.

"What did you see?" The ferocity in that oddly quiet voice almost spurred her to speak. How desperately she wanted to lay out all the answers. It'd be so easy too. She could just open her mouth and spill all the dirty little secrets that family would rather keep locked away forever. Inuyasha was dead because of her. Now she couldn't even do him the proper service of putting his killer behind bars where he belonged. The pinprick of blood formed beneath her nails. She had to remain strong. She had to keep her silence.

"I…" The teen started. However just as swiftly as she spoke, the door to the absurdly small interrogation room flung inward. At the threshold stood Omoikiri Touga. His long hair pulled back in a low ponytail, his eyes a vision of protective fury and his clothes in disarray. It almost seemed as if he'd been sleeping prior to rushing down here. That was not unlike him recently. He'd worked longer hours at the office and spent less time at the house. As a result he usually slept on a bed he'd brought into the alcove of his office suite. Like a shadow, Naraku followed in behind him.

"Release her at once! She's not a suspect!" Touga rushed to her side. Thick hands pulled her to her feet and tried to usher her through the door.

"Hey now, that's not exactly what our evidence is saying here." Okita drawled conspicuously. The man stood, the chair causing a piercing screech beneath its cheap metal feet.

"No matter. She is being released. You cannot keep her." Naraku held up a paper that she could not read. "If you wish to talk to her then collect your evidence and file charges. Until then, she's free to go." Her step-father placed himself between her and the detectives eyeing her as she went. His hand went to the small of her back. It was meant to be a comforting gesture but there wasn't any need. Kagome closed her eyes momentarily. The detectives would be angry now but in just a few mere minutes they would get one small answer that they were seeking. A tiny smile tugged at her lips. Just a little bit longer. That was all they needed.

 **A/n** : Bahahah! These 2k chapters are much easier for me to write for a change! Plus it helps keep my mind on track. So anyways, things are starting to heat up a bit. I'm hoping to get the next chapter out within about three to seven days from now since I want to refocus on OPAH as well. Anyways, what do you guys think? Getting just a bit of perspective from Kagome's view and a bit more of the mystery as well. ;P


	3. Against the Clock

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Gasoline by Halsey

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Three:** Against the Clock **  
**

Okita eyed the teen intently. He could only watch as Omoikiri Touga gently pushed at his step-daughter's shoulders—urging her out of the interrogation room away from them. Ummei Naraku threw a wayward smirk at his partner before he too turned on the ball of his heel. His fists clenched tightly at his sides in frustration. Damn it all. Now they had to start over again. Just as the girl made the slight turned from the threshold of the door into the corridor that would lead to freedom, she cast a small, almost understanding smile his way. Then she walked away. Kagome's hair whipped behind her as she moved to leave their custody.

Once the trio was gone, Okita slammed his fist into the wall of their tiny room. They'd almost gotten it out of her too! If Touga and his nightmare of a lawyer hadn't intervened, then they probably would've been able to get her to talk about that night. She'd been so close to opening up. Just two more minutes. That was all that they'd needed. His teeth gnashed together as the urge to light up another cigarette hit him. Great, now he was going to have his night shot to shit because of all this. This was going to bother him for weeks to come. They were too damn close to give up on the lead now. His mind went to the boy who's death still went unsolved. He couldn't rest until he'd given that kid justice. That was his job after all.

The detective gave a fierce snort through his nose. This whole situation was chafing his ass. Why the hell couldn't he find a willing witness for once? Still they did manage to glean one thing from this interrogation. Kagome had placed the secrecy of the killer's identity above achieving justice for her slain step-brother. There had only been two types of situations where that had occurred in his time as an officer. The first were accomplices trying to maintain their silence to keep their freedom. This technique rarely worked out as the evidence often overwhelmingly pointed towards their involvement. Those who talked were able to get lighter sentencing in comparison to those who didn't. In contrast the other type of witnesses who refused to talk were the ones who had something to lose. People who for one reason or another could not put their trust in the police. His lips thinned. So which was she?

"Souji." Saito called his attention. Okita turned on the ball of his heel as he glanced over to where his partner was pointing. "She's talking." It was the man's vague way of indicating that the girl had left a clue. He shoved his hands into his pockets. His index finger rubbed the familiar carton of his cigarettes. Perhaps he wouldn't need them just yet. The detective strolled to the seat that she'd been at for the past several hours. It was technique used to wear down a suspect. The longer the wait the more willing they were to talk—all for the small chance of going home for the night. Unfortunately for them they could legally hold any adult suspects for up to ten days. Of course things always got tricky after that window of time, so it was best to work quickly when dealing with situations such as these. Withdrawing his hands, Okita grasped the back of the chair pulled it back. Emerald eyes glanced sharply at the table's edge. There upon the curved wood was a carving; a small etching of a word that appeared to hold no importance. But they knew better. It meant _something_. They just had to find out what. He looked at the word once more.

 _Wives_

The word was scratched into the wood crudely. She'd been quick. They'd noticed her carving earlier through the other side of the two-way mirror but neither he nor Saito had thought anything of it. They'd just believed that she'd gotten bored. She'd been restless the entire time. Okita scratched at his chin thoughtfully.

Simple, sweet and completely devoid of information. Was the kid serious right now? If she wanted to give them something, why not the killer's name? Of course that would probably be too easy. The detective scratched at his cheek. Wives? Whose wives? What was their importance? How were they connected to Inuyasha's murder? These were all questions he needed to answer. His mind went over the possibilities.

Kagome had made it blatantly clear that she was unwilling to cooperate through the usual means. She refused to speak while on camera. She also hadn't been left alone during their initial interview with her all those months ago. Both her surviving step-brother, Omoikiri Sesshoumaru, and her step-father had sat in the room with her. All this information combined lead to one conclusion. The girl was uncomfortable going public with her knowledge. She knew what happened. She was likely the _only_ person to have the answers that would close the case. But it looked as if she _couldn't_ talk. Either she was being threatened directly or another life outside of her own was at stake. His lips pressed into a thin line. She was protecting someone. This was going to become ten times more difficult if that were case. Not only would they have to earn her trust, but neutralize the threat that was holding her back. What a pain in the ass.

His eyes went back to the small etching in the desk. Even if she couldn't speak the way she wished, she was still dropping clues as to who the murderer might be. A smirk twisted across his lips. So that was how it was going to be. She'd give them clues but they would have to play by _her_ rules. He could work with that.

"Hey, you got the background info we pulled on her during the initial interview?" Okita directed his inquiry towards his silent partner. Saito nodded once. The dark haired male grasped one of the three folders he'd placed on the table. The intention was to present the evidence directly with her previous background check, camera footage and witness testaments. By doing so they'd hoped to get her to admit that she was at least there at the time of the murder. From there they could've worked her over enough to give them the name of the killer. Of course Ummei Naraku had to stick his nose in where it didn't belong. Bastard was as sharp as they came and brutal to boot. They'd screwed up by not granting her guardian access to her when they'd detained her. So the fucker went through a few loopholes and got her released early. Bastard. Sure they could go back tomorrow and detain her again but now all three would be fully prepared for such an event. They were going to secure all the hatches and make their back up plans foolproof.

They needed something to take the rug out from under them. Something that they wouldn't expect him to know. Okita flipped the folder open. It was a fairly thin file. There wasn't anything substantial enough to warrant another arrest, let alone indicate the connection between them. Only an overview of her criminal history and birth record, oh and a few changes of address as well. Still, not anything significant enough to draw his attention. The man fought the urge to sigh in frustration. The kid was good. Too damn good to be as innocent as this document was saying. Her record was fucking spotless.

He lifted it in the air, "You sure this is all? Nothing expunged or left out?"

His partner gave him a laconic stare, "That was all that was released." Ah, therein lied the problem. Because Kagome was a minor her records were sealed pretty damn tightly. Medical records, school records and other such documents could only provide so much. They'd have to go before a judge to request more if they wanted to get the truth out of them the legal way.

Brows furrowed, he dipped his hand into his pocket. It looked there was only one other way to get the answers he wanted. He grabbed his phone and pulled up his contact list. He hit the dial button on the one person that could possible help them in this situation. His work wasn't always legal but they'd worry about that when they got to the trial.

The dial tone only lasted for two rings before the person picked up. "Ah, you finally catch a lead?" The male on the other end laughed without waiting for him to speak. Okita could hear the clacking of fingers dancing across a keyboard. In the background the faint music of a popular boy band played over the rather bothersome sound.

"Heisuke," His grin grew vicious. Although it wasn't as if the other man could see it. "Your feminine side is showing." Just like that the music abruptly cut off followed by the embarrassed grunt of his colleague.

"Pretend you didn't hear that." Heisuke practically pleaded. It was always so damn easy to tease the kid. Barely nineteen and already picked up by the police station for hacking the financial account of the mayor of their little, overly wealthy town. So in place of a proper trial they'd offered the kid a choice—either go through with the trial and end up in jail for stealing thousands, or work for the station and help solve a menagerie of cases using his technical skills. Heisuke chose the latter.

Okita was sorely tempted to tease him mercilessly. However he caught sight of his partner's piercing stare and thought better of it. The man was a damn hawk. It didn't help matters that he was on the tail end of his punishment from the last time he pissed off Hijikata. For three months he'd been kicked down to paperwork duty while Saito ran the bulk of the case. It was a less than ideal situation for all involved but at least now he was granted the 'privilege' of returning to the field. The last thing he needed was to be chained up to that damn office a second time for having a little fun at their Tech Head's expense. Too bad, it was a wasted opportunity really.

"I need you to run a _thorough_ background check on someone for me." He leaned against the absurdly thin walls. Even now he could hear the rapid-fire phone calls lighting up their call center. Since the special last night they hadn't stopped ringing. Most of the information was useless but on the rare occasion some grain of truth managed to filter its way through the black hole of people wanting to feel important.

His free hand brushed against the carton of cigarettes once more. This room was stationed only a short distance away from the main entrance. Therefore it easy to hear every little detail if it was close enough to the door. His lips twitched. They really needed to do some upgrades to this place. But apparently there 'wasn't enough money' to go around for it. He fought the urge to roll his eyes. Of course there wasn't. There was never enough money. Not for this town. "I need you to look into Higurashi Kagome. Get me all of her previous addresses, family history, health records, grades and anything else you can dig up."

"You want the legally approved version or the down and dirty version?" He heard his colleague's typing resume at double the speed it was before.

"Make it the dirty if you get my drift." His brows furrowed. Wives. That meant multiple but could it have something to do with her mother? Touga had married at least twice before her. Could those three have something to do with Inuyasha's death? "Also, get me the dirty version of her mother's records as well. Her name is Higurashi Izumi. Think you can take care of that for me?" It was a rhetorical question.

"Ha! Give me a few hours. I'll have every dark and dirty secret sent direct to your email. Good luck!" With that the line went dead.

"We cannot use that information in court." Saito reprimanded him. He was a straight as an arrow and sometimes it was pretty damn annoying.

Okita waved his hand nonchalantly, "No need to worry. It's not for making an arrest. I just need it find the tie that holds them together." He grinned viciously, "Besides if we throw something at them that they're not expecting that that'll give us the advantage we need. Don't you agree?"

By the downturned expression and glint of disgust in Saito's gaze, he knew that the other man did _not_ agree with his sentiment whatsoever. Regardless he wouldn't interfere. It was a matter of racing against the clock. The longer the killer roamed free, the sooner he was liable to strike again. This time with Higurashi Kagome was his likely target. Okita slipped his phone back into his pocket.

He had to work fast. No longer was it just about the murderer getting away scot-free from his crime. No, now they likely had a life on the line. They were racing against the clock and both he and Saito were aware of that fact. The man withdrew the familiar carton from his pocket. He really needed a smoke right now.


	4. Crack

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ I Walk the Line by Halsey

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Four** : Crack

Night had fallen by the time she'd gotten home. Kagome leaned in her chair as she stretched her back out. By now the detectives were likely scrambling to decode the small clue that she'd dropped. She didn't blame them for their suspicion. They had every right to place her squarely on the suspect list. She had been dumb enough to get caught on camera tossing that burner phone. Now she had to find a way to drop the clues before she went down for a crime she didn't commit.

The teen closed her eyes and sucked a breath through her nose. This wasn't the way she wanted to go about telling the truth regarding that night. She'd rather have just told them everything right then, but her hands were tied. It couldn't be helped. She _wanted_ to tell them the truth. She wanted Inuysaha's murderer to face the strictest punishment that the law would allow. Alas, reality was never kind. Without evidence her word alone wouldn't stand up in the court of law. Breadcrumbs were the best she could leave those detectives until they found the answers for themselves.

A soft rapping came at her door. The teen stiffened at the sudden sound.

"Kagome, open this door." It was her mother. Her breath caught in her throat as she held still. "We need to talk." The older woman's voice was stern with the fury she felt. "Kagome!" Her parent tried again. She remained silent. Her light was still on but it wasn't unusual for her to fall asleep with it like that. Most times she simply slept at her desk. She hated that bed. She hated these walls. She hated everything about this place. A palm slapped heavily against her door. "Open up, now!" Her mother began to scream. "Do you hear me? I know you're awake!" The banging increased in volume. She pressed her hands tightly over her ears. Go away. Just go away.

"Kagome!" She began kicking the door with all the might of a furious grizzly. "Did you hear me? Open this fucking door!" It shuddered beneath her weight.

"Izumi!" Her step-father rushed down the hallway. Kagome heard his heavy footsteps thundering towards his wife. "Leave her be. We'll discuss things in the morning." Though muffled, Touga's tone brooked no dissent from his spouse.

"Ha! That's grand coming from you. Tell me, how many strings did you have to pull just to get her ass out of trouble?" Izumi's voice grew louder with her frustration. "She's rotten! Just like the rest of you!" Kagome flinched at the sound of skin meeting skin harshly. "Go to hell! You hear me? All of you fucking go to hell!" Her mother stomped off.

Touga sighed heavily from the other side, "Get some rest." Those were the only words he spoke. They were directed at her. She shuddered, tucking her chin over her knees and holding her legs close to her chest.

The teen listened intently as his footsteps moved away from her door. She released a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. Why was it always like this? She didn't understand it. Her lips pressed into a thin line. She hated it here. They had a nice house, nice clothes and even a nice family photo before Inuyasha's murder. But what they didn't have was the tie that bound them together as a family. At best, they were all just strangers living under the same roof.

Kagome stood from her desk. She shut off her light and threw a dark jacket over her. She flipped the hood to cover her face. Screw being in the house. She'd rather sleep on a bench then be around these people. With that she pushed open her window and made the steady climb down from the second floor. Lattices covered in vines were placed all over the sides of the walls. Her step-father had a particular love of French Architecture and as such chosen to decorate his house thusly. Vines, lattices, even an oversized courtyard with a hedge maze towards the back of the complex. It was a beautiful piece of property… and she absolutely loathed being on it.

Kagome cringed when her legs braced the full force of the impact from her final jump. She squatted then stood quickly to stretch the muscles. A white puff of smoke exhaled from her lips. The winter chill was getting worse. She couldn't stay out for too long. She tucked her hands into the pockets of her jacket. She trekked quietly through the yard and slipped past the front gate. She'd done this so often that she remembered the specific routes of the guards and their shift changes as well.

Azure eyes glanced around the area. Good, it was clear. Kagome scaled the final gate and leapt from the wall onto the pavement below. That time her knees shook from the impact. Damn, she really _did_ need to be more careful. Her knees were still fucked from before. The teen squatted again, rubbing her palms over them until the pain ebbed away. She stood, tucked her hands into her pockets once more and began the aimless walk through the town. It was safe considering the high dollar citizenry. Very few crimes outside of the white-collar ones occurred in these little suburbs.

Azure eyes remained focused on the ground. Her legs carried her to an unknown destination as she walked. She passed rows and rows of houses that looked to be cut from the same cookie-cutter. The same style. The same doors. The same exact walkways and garages. There was no personality. Nothing.

Kagome continued towards the small hub of convenience stores and diners. That was the one thing she loved about this place. This neighborhood was placed smack dab between two other middle-class districts that were filled to capacity with local, family owned businesses. They were small but comfortable. She came to a stop in front of a convenience store. She turned then took a spot upon the center of the bench just outside its front.

The teen kept her hands in her pockets, slouched her stance and tipped her head towards the light-blinded sky. No stars. What a shame. White puffs of air continued to exhale through her lips.

"What should I do?" The question slipped past before she could stop it.

"Tell the truth." A familiar voice responded back. She shot up. Her eyes focusing on the figure emerging into view. "Yo, didn't expect to see you here kid." Emerald eyes glinted at her from afar. Okita offered a quick wave as he came to sit beside her upon the bench.

"Detective," Kagome greeted the male suspiciously. It was the aggressive one to boot. Her lips turned downwards at the thought. Did he live nearby? Or had he simply been staking out their house for leads?

Okita waved his hand dismissively, "I wasn't stalking you. I come to this joint when I need some fresh air." He glanced towards her with a slight quirk of a sharp smile. "What about you? Last I checked children were supposed to be in bed at this hour."

She fought the urge to roll her eyes, "I wanted fresh air too. I didn't think I'd have to worry about running into you though." She didn't hide her distaste at the situation. If he was offended, then he didn't show it.

"Yeah? Well shit happens." The detective reached into his pocket. He grabbed a carton of cigarettes and pulled one out before lighting it. A sour expression darkened her features.

"You're going to give yourself cancer." Kagome couldn't help but make a snide remark. "You should quit that habit while you're still healthy."

His smirk grew wider, "Concerned? That's nice of you. Still, I'm an adult and I can take care of myself. You on the other hand…" His gaze slid towards her meaningfully. "Are in a heap of shit." And didn't she know it. "You wanna tell me want you were trying to say earlier? Not a camera around with audio. Or any of your family for that matter." Her shoulders twitched.

The teen glanced towards the ground as her brows knitted together. He was right. She'd _wanted_ to tell him earlier. There were no cameras that could pick up sound and not even a single witness to see her confession here. Would that work, though? Would he try to make her give a written statement? She shook her head. She couldn't do that.

"I can't tell you." Kagome kept here gaze at the concrete below her feet, not meeting his eyes directly. "You have to find the answers on your own."

He gave a small noise at the back of his throat, "Can't or won't tell me?" She felt more than saw his shoulders relax and his body sink further into the bench. The scent of cigarette smoke and coffee drifted towards her. It was an odd mixture but it wasn't entirely unpleasant. "You're not the first to be in a tough spot, you know." Okita took another drag of his cigarette. "If there's something eatin' at ya then you can rely on us for help. That's what cops are supposed to be good for, right?" There was an edge of doubt that pierced his words.

She bit into her cheek. Her knuckles fisted tightly into her jacket. Help? From the detectives? It wasn't that she hadn't thought about it before. It could possibly be her _only_ lifeline at this point. But, would that work? Could she trust this man to uphold his word?

She shook her head, "I can't." Kagome cringed at the break in her own voice. She sounded so weak right now. If he wasn't suspicious before then he would be now. She didn't dare look at him.

Okita sighed again, "Figures it wouldn't be that easy. But you do know, don't you? The person who killed him." She wisely bit into her lips. Flashes of memories shot through her mind. The horrified screams of her step-brother. The unyielding fury of his attacker. The trembling of her hands as she tried to hold her phone steady. Inuyasha's death had meant little to the person who'd killed him. Just an obstacle that had gotten in their way. She shivered at the thought. She wasn't impervious to that fate either. She was just as expendable if she didn't play her cards right.

"Fine," Okita interrupted her train of thought. "I won't ask about that right now. What I really want to know," He paused to give her attire a disapproving glare. Besides the jacket she was still in her sweat pants and simple night shirt. She'd merely thrown the hoodie over her as a means of keeping warm for a short walk. "Is why the hell you're out here by yourself. You're hardly dressed for winter. Aren't you freezing your ass off?" His tone became similar to that of a scolding parent's. What was he, her father?

Kagome tipped her head to meet his gaze, "I needed out." The words bore more weight than she cared to admit. She could spy the faintest bit of empathy in his eyes before he sighed. The man stood from the bench, his cigarette still in hand.

"Come on, it'd be bad if you froze yourself solid in this cold." He gripped the collar of his coat and pulled it from his body. "Here, use this for now."

The teen waved her hands emphatically, "I can't! What about you? You're just wearing a regular shirt!" She couldn't take his coat. It was too cold! The first flake of snow began to fall from the overcast sky. Her expression shifted into one of concern. Was he an idiot? Why was he doing this? She was still impeding his investigation. Why was he being so kind?

"I'll live. Not something I hadn't already gotten used to anyways. Shit's always cold at my place." He threw a smirk over his shoulder at her. "Now come on. I think I heard your stomach growling." At that a low rumble started up. Her face heated in embarrassment. How long had he heard? Had she simply not noticed it in her stressed-out daze? The detective laughed heartily, "Relax, kid. You didn't get shit to eat earlier because you were at the station. There's a diner here that's open twenty-four seven. Let's get you fed and then I'll take you back home." His grew became playful, "As a cop I can't overlook a minor wandering the streets on her own."

She felt her shoulders relax and a small smile form on her own lips, "Are you going to arrest me then, detective?"

"Don't tempt me. Now come on. Your stomach is about to devour itself whole." He took her hand and guided her down the street towards a familiar restaurant. In just that moment she began to wonder. Perhaps, she could learn to trust this man. If only just a little.


	5. Truce

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Play Me Like a Violin by Stephen

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Five** : Truce

Okita sighed under his breath. Only he could get himself into these kinds of situations. Heisuke had sent him the down and dirty files alright. He'd managed to dig up more dirt on Kagome's mother than three landfills combined. The woman was as horrid as they came. Her long list of crimes included drug abuse, misappropriation of funds, child neglect and even prostitution. It was little wonder that her daughter had almost no faith in the adults of her life.

The detective pressed his lips into a thin line as her fingers curled a bit more tightly around his own. They were soft and callused at their tips—an obvious indication of the horrific history he knew to be behind her thanks to her mother's background check. Okita had left his house after reading through Izumi's file. He didn't have the stomach to open Kagome's just yet. His one weakness was always children. No matter how hard he tried, cases in which children were involved were always the hardest for him. He couldn't allow himself to feel sympathy for her. He couldn't let himself lose sight of his true goal. With that seared in his mind, he'd needed a quick smoke break to clear his thoughts from it all. On his way out of his local convenience store he just happened to run across the only person that could break his case wide open. He didn't believe in hunches but he knew a teen at risk when he saw one. Protocol be damned, he still had a responsibility to ensure that she wasn't doing anything risky.

Okita led her into the familiar diner. It was owned and operated by a middle-aged couple with their three teenage children. All of which were likely attending the same school as his current companion. It was simple, cheap and quiet. They wouldn't have any interruptions during their little talk here. The case aside, he needed to do some intervention first. What was the kid doing wandering out on her own this late? Why was she hardly even dressed? _Who_ was she trying to get away from? These questions were all things he needed answers to.

"Ladies first," He directed her towards a booth nestled near the back of the restaurant. It was far enough away from the sparse crowd that they would be able to talk freely. Kagome nodded her thanks. He allowed her to use his hand as a counter balance while she settled into her seat. The second her palm fell away, he took the spot across from her. He observed as she tugged his coat over her shoulders even tighter. It nearly engulfed her tiny frame entirely. The image left him at odds with himself. She looked both fragile as lost with her eyes looking at everything but him. It was difficult to treat her like a suspect like this. "Order whatever you want, kid. It's on me." He threw a reassuring smile at her.

Azure eyes snapped open, "I can't ask you to do that." The teen tried to protest. Okita waved his hand in a dismissive manner. Courtesy aside, he had his own reason for wanting to help.

"Don't worry about it. I'm not so broke that I can't feed a single brat." He threw a sharp grin at her. It was meant to lighten the mood but appeared to have the opposite effect. Her eyes turned downwards towards the table as her hands fisted tightly over her lap. The image sent him back to a time and place he'd rather forget. It's funny how at her age he was virtually the same. Suspicious of everyone and without anywhere to go. Of course he didn't anyone to call family at that time either. So perhaps she was just a bit different from him.

"Why?" The question was mumbled. He paused to glance at her.

"Why what? Why am I helping?" A smile crossed his lips. Her shoulders twitched but she didn't look up from her lap. "It's simple kid. I've got a responsibility and I'm not going to overlook that now." His response was curt and full of holes. Had it been Saito who'd found her instead then he highly suspected that the man would've either brought her back down to the station for her parents to pick up or would've just dropped her off at the front of her house without blinking. Him on the other hand, he wanted answers. The kid almost broke earlier in their interview. It was clear being away from her family helped make that happen. Perhaps lowering her guard and earning her trust would be his best bet to get her to open up regarding that night.

Kagome shot him a dissatisfied look, "I'm not going to talk." She shot right into the heart of the issue. "So just give up on that idea."

That time Okita did sigh, "You really don't trust authority figures easily, do you kid?" He gestured towards the menu in her hands. "Just order some food already. Your stomach is about to bring down the walls here." The teen's face went a bright red following the low, emphasized rumble of her stomach. She quickly opened up the menu and used it to block her view of him. The detective laughed at the display. He watched as her shoulders hunched and her head tucked further behind the small menu. That was clearly one of their differences. When he'd been her age he'd covered his discomfort with aggression. She clearly preferred to withdraw into herself. His smile slid away at the thought. Going by Izumi's file Kagome wasn't going to be easy to get to open up.

The man glanced over the options himself. He kept his eyes on the lines of text but used his peripherals to observe her subtle movements. A waitress approached, she took their orders and their menus before shuffling off towards the kitchen to input their orders. Without the barrier, Kagome turned her bodya way from him to look out the window. The teen bit into her bottom lip nervously.

"Hey," She started. "Do you think that you could… _not_ mention where you found me?" Kagome twisted uncomfortably in her seat. "My step-father," She stopped as if rethinking her words carefully. "I mean, my family doesn't know that I skipped out earlier."

Okita rested both of his arms over the back of the booth, "Sneaking out? That's not very becoming behavior of a straight A student." He didn't have to look at her to know the grimace that flitted over her features. "So, you at least want to tell me why you took off? You look like you were in a rush." He threw a sharp stare towards her. The girl lowered her head.

"It's not that simple to explain." Kagome's voice became low and difficult to hear but he still managed to catch what she said with little difficulty.

The detective closed his eyes, "I've got time. Besides, something tells me that you need to get this out. Am I wrong?" He smiled at her. She twisted in her seat again as if uncomfortable.

"No. It's just…" Her voice trailed off again. A brief flash of headlights rushed by the diner, lighting her expression before disappearing.

He could hazard a guess as to what she was referring. He sighed again, "Kid, you aren't the first to have a shit family. No matter what that portrait shows, you know exactly what goes on in your own house." Okita straightened his posture. "I did a bit of digging already. You probably got in a fight with your mom, right?" By the twitch in her shoulders he knew that he'd hit the bullseye. "Look, I could spend this whole time placating you and telling you that your situation ain't that bad but we both know that I'd just be shooting the shit at you."

Kagome lifted her head to meet his gaze directly. Her eyes grew wide with shock then narrowed as if suspicious of his intentions.

Okita waited as their food arrived. Once the waitress left, he continued from where he left off. "I'm not an idiot. I already know that your mom is a real piece of work. It'd be hard to get along with someone like that." He began to pick at his meal, not paying any heed to the subtle shifts in his companion's mood. "Let me guess, after we interrogated you earlier she decided to lay into you pretty bad after you got home right? Shit like that happens a lot. Doesn't mean that you should be wandering the streets this late on your own and dressed as if you're ready to hit the sack."

The teen was silent for a long moment. She used her utensils to roll her food from side of the plate to the other. Then after several seconds she spoke up, "What do you suggest then? I call the cops? What will they do? They haven't done anything. They _never_ do anything except tell me that I should appreciate the fact that she's even kept me around." Kagome stopped to glare over at him harshly. "I appreciate your concern detective, but don't think that I'll take to kindly to a lecture from _you_ right now. I've relied on police before and the only thing it's gotten me was a lifetime of regret." She made a move to stand but he held up his hand.

"I ain't those idiots, kid." Okita allowed his voice to grow sharp. He knew all to well what she was feeling. A long time ago he'd been the same way. No cops anywhere wanted to help him. He'd been alone, homeless and without anyone left to truly call his family. Despite himself, he felt a pang of empathy. She might not be some penniless wanderer like he'd been, but she definitely needed his help even if she wouldn't say it.

"I didn't make it to be a detective because I assumed all runaway teens were rebellious." He observed her carefully as she sat back in her seat. "I'm not telling you to call the cops if you have an issue in the future. Hell that just might make things worse in your case." The man reached into his pocket. He grasped at a small card, withdrew it then handed it over to her. "I'm telling you to call me next time if things start getting rough. There are other ways to get you out of that house if that's what you want. Running away isn't going to do you any favors though."

She reluctantly took the card from him. Her eyes scrutinized every identifying detail he'd had on it; as if she were attempting to judge whether his offer were true or just some long term scheme to get her to confess. Now, more than ever, the slight furrow of her brow reminded him of the suspicious expression he used to wear when he'd been her age.

"Why are you being so nosy?" Azure eyes flicked towards his. "All you want out of me is information. Trying to be nice to me isn't going to get me to talk." She turned to look out the window once more. "Besides, I already gave you what I could."

That sent off his alarms. In his few short years working as an investigator, he'd learned to pick up on the behavior of his witnesses. Some were petrified while others were more than willing to come forward. In this girl's case, she was definitely scared of _something_ but going to prison wasn't one of them. She was protecting something.

"Wives, right? I wanted to ask you about that but I get the feeling that you wouldn't answer me even if I did try." The officer cocked his head over his shoulder, waving down the waitress so that he could pay for their food. Once he'd finished he glanced back towards her. "I'm not going to bullshit with you right now. My offer still stands though. If you need help getting out of that shit hole then give me a call. I'll do what I can to get you where you need to be. In the mean time, we should probably get you back before they notice you've gone missing." Okita's shoulders dropped at the thought. "I'd rather not have to explain this to my superiors either."

A slight smile crossed her lips, "So I take it that we're at a truce?"

He grinned back at her, "A truce it is. Now come on. Let's get your ass home before you freeze to death. I can't have a brat's early demise on my conscious."

Kagome ran up to him with a pout written over her features. "Who're you calling a brat? You're the one who's acting like a child! All you've done this whole time is insult and interrogate me!"

"I'm a detective, that's my _job_. Now get moving kiddo!" Okita fought the urge to laugh as they left the diner. He might not be able to get the answers that he wanted from her, but at the very least he could say that he offered her something that no one else had before. He felt her hand slip into his as he led her down the street towards her house. Right now, she trusted him. As an officer, he wouldn't take that for granted.


	6. Gratitude

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Silk (feat. Mothica) by Crywolf [Midoca Remix]

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Six** : Gratitude

Kagome tucked her legs to her chest. She'd been home for several minutes now. Okita had walked her back to the house but stayed just out of sight to ensure that she'd returned safely. Within her fingers she flipped the card over for the tenth time that night. Call him directly, huh? It was an unusual request. She brushed her thumb over the digits of the number that was listed in black ink print. He had both his office _and_ his cellphone noted in case he couldn't be reached by the other. Was this really all just a ploy to make her feel comfortable enough with him to talk? Or did he actually _care_ about a nobody like her?

The teen tucked the card away into her school bag. She couldn't risk anyone finding it. Touga would get suspicious and her mother would fall into another fit. Kagome curled into a small ball and gracelessly fell on her side on her bed. The mattress dipped with her weight.

Her eyes grew heavy as she heard the faint creaking of her door opening. She already knew who it was. Tiny feet padded across her bedroom floor. The covers lifted then fell as her mattress dipped for a second time. The young woman rolled to her side, wrapping a comforting arm around the tiny form that appeared next to her.

"Couldn't sleep?" She brushed the child's bangs from his eyes with her index finger. The boy shook his head.

"The monster came back again. It was at my door." His voice was soft and devoid of the usual cheer a child his age typically held. Her expression softened.

"It's gone now. I'm here." Kagome tried to soothe his fears. From him she'd learned one important thing about kids. Things that were 'scary' to normal adults were doubly so to them. Reality would become twisted around their overactive imaginations. A furious, strung out woman screaming at the top of her lungs would morph into a figure with fangs, claws and a piercing screech in the mind of a frightful child. He was no different.

A bitter smile crossed her lips. Perhaps it was better this way. For when the time came this would all be nothing more than a footnote of a vague nightmare he'd had long ago.

The boy buried himself within the protective warmth of her arms.

"Okay." He breathed through his nose. "Night sis."

Kagome closed her eyes, "Night Souta." Her hand combed through his hair absentmindedly. He was safe. For now, no one would hurt him. She just had to keep her silence. So long as the detectives solved the crime on their own then no harm would come to him. She stopped, her brows furrowing together tightly.

Okita was on the trail but would he be able to solve it fast enough? There was less than a month left. Her gaze drifted towards the calendar hanging from her wall. Red ink circled a date in bold lines near the end of the month. That day held more than just Inuyasha's death as its significance. If the detective didn't catch the killer by then, then their lives as they knew it would also be forfeit.

Just this once, she hoped that she was wrong. Just this once, she wanted to believe in someone. Her eyes turned towards her phone. Kagome carefully reached out to her nightstand and grabbed the device. The brightness had already been turned down so she had little to fear. The teen typed in the number that the detective had given her. She laid upon her bed for several seconds, wracking her brain for the right words to send. She ought to thank him for earlier but could she mention anything else? Kagome glanced down to the crown of her brother's head as he sighed in his sleep; unperturbed by the darkness around them.

Her lips thinned. No, she couldn't. For now she'd just stick to something simple. Once she finished typing, she hit send and tucked her phone under her pillow. That would be enough for now. The rest the detective would have to discover on his own. Her eyes slid closed as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Okita returned home with the soft clicking of his front door lock. It was dark besides the small light over the oven he'd purposely left on. He rarely cooked so about the only use it ever got was when he needed something to keep his house lit. He sighed to himself. He couldn't get too deep. He couldn't let himself feel empathy for the girl. She was still an active part of his case. The detective made his way towards through the sparsely lit living room.

The house was as cold as it'd ever been. It was an open concept design with all the main areas were connected without any half-walls. As a result, the winter chill would freeze out those very same spaces exceedingly quickly. He lifted his hand and breathed into his palms. He _seriously_ needed to fix that damn heater. This was getting ridiculous.

The detective threw his keys onto his kitchen counter. He yanked his coat from his shoulders but paused as the faint scent of cherry blossoms and rain water hit his nose. Was this from the kid? It was a soft. Not overpowering like most others he came into contact with in his line of work. He shook the thought from his head and tossed it over the back of his chair. Nope, he was not going down _that_ particularrabbit hole. He still had a job to finish.

From the short time that he'd gotten to know her, Okita had been able to glean a few details about Kagome's personality. First and foremost, she was independent. She relied solely on herself for help and, quite rightfully, had a deep distrust of authority figures.

His hand brushed against her mother's file. Five times. That was how many times the police had failed her. Five times complaints of neglect and severe abuse had been called in against Izumi. Five times officers looked at those children and walked away from them; leaving them at the hands of their drug addicted mother. A sickening feeling twisted in his stomach. In reality he didn't _want_ to read Kagome's file. All it'd do is serve to infuriate him. Alas, there was little to no evidence tying Izumi to Inuyasha's murder. If he couldn't find that tie within those files then he was fucked.

Okita withdrew the familiar carton of cigarettes from his pocket. He took a single stick and swiftly lit it. The cherry colored dot of the stem billowed a small pillar of smoke into his home. Her words from earlier in the night filled his mind.

 _You should quit that habit while you're still healthy._

Stop smoking, huh? That was a tall order. He'd been doing it for the last four years. Since the day he'd turned twenty he picked up his first cigarette and hadn't put it down. It'd helped him get through the worst cases he'd ever seen. A habit born from a need to escape. His gaze dropped to Izumi's file. Looks like it was the same for her as well. Took a hit of cocaine at the tender age of fourteen and hadn't looked back.

The detective switched gears. He pushed her folder away and reluctantly opened Kagome's. The first file on top was a lengthy medical record. He pulled the cigarette from his lips and exhaled. The grey vapor of the smoke curled then drifted towards the ceiling before disappearing altogether. He held it between his fingers absentmindedly as his eyes narrowed at the information.

He shouldn't be surprised. The man fought the urge to cringe as he read through the file. Not even a few hours old Kagome had been hospitalized due to symptoms of exposure to crack. She was four weeks premature and barely over three pounds. Okita took another drag of his cigarette. Izumi had been sent to a rehab facility while her daughter steadily recovered. By the time she was a month old, Kagome had been released back into her mother's care with the judge's condition that Izumi wouldn't touch drugs again. That had been the first in a long string of failures in their system.

The detective snorted. A fat lot of good that did. He turned the page. There was a large blank spot in her history until approximately six years later when her brother, Souta, was born. She had been taken to the doctor on a spare few occasions for the typical shots and illnesses. Nothing in particular stuck out to him besides the slightly below average weight in comparison to her peers. Beside the record were notes from three separate complaints filed by neighbors. Each time the complaint would assert that severe neglect was occurring in the household and each time the police would investigate only to turn up 'nothing out of the ordinary'. He fought the urge to sigh.

Cases of child abuse were difficult to prosecute. So much so that unless the child's life was in immediate danger, authorities would usually turn a blind eye to it.

He turned the page. This one contained a photo that nearly made his stomach roil in a mixture of fury and disgust. It was a polaroid image, clearly taken by someone tasked with investigating more claims of neglect and abuse. A tower of garbage surrounded the two children. They were pale, sickly looking with the infant clutching his sister tightly and burying his face into her neck, away from the camera. Kagome kept her eyes downcast as the thin lines of her arms struggled to hold up her brother. They were starving, covered head to toe in filth and seemingly lost hope that anyone that might help them. Bile rose to the back of his throat.

There was one thing that would always be his weakness: children. More particularly, children in need. By the skin of his teeth he'd received help from Kondou during the worst part of his life. Seeing kids in situations worse than his at an even younger age never failed to get to him.

Okita pressed the back of his hand into his forehead, "Fuck me. There has to be _something_ in here." He tried to distract himself. Wives. That word ran through his mind over and over again, blocking out the image of a the children's evacuated bodies and hopeless expressions.

What connection did that have with Kagome and subsequently Inuyasha's murder? His only guess was Omoikiri Touga's long line of women that he circled through faster than a merry-go-round. The detective looked over the last of her file.

Officially Kagome had been removed that time and taken into Touga's custody. He'd been a frequent visitor of the shrine they lived on, so he had acted swiftly to protect her. There were a few suspicions that he might've even called in the complaints himself. However most were done anonymously and so he was left to speculate.

Okita glanced again. Not even a year afterward their removal, Izumi had completed her latest stint at rehab and was placed in the Omoikiri main residence as per court order to be near her children. He felt the faint twitch of his brow. The shrine had been condemned due to unsafe conditions bred from the woman's hoarding and drug addiction. So the judge's solution was to place the whole family under Touga's watchful eye? He would need a stiff drink if this was the bullshit that he was going to be dealing with later in this case.

Amongst the legal jargon there was a final line that indicated a romantic relationship had formed between Touga and Izumi in the duration of her stay. By the end, he'd married the woman. Oddly enough, he only adopted the youngest son as his child. He did not do the same for Kagome. There was no other name listed as the father on their birth certificates either. So why just adopt one and not the other? The sickening feeling in her stomach returned.

She'd been adamant about not taking the Omoikiri name. Besides the interview yesterday, she'd never been permitted to speak to them without Touga's interference. His brows furrowed. It couldn't be, could it?

Okita took out his phone. He dialed Heisuke's number and waited as the phone rang thrice.

"Don't you guys ever sleep?" The young man answered, his voice still groggy with sleep.

The detective chose to ignore the comment, "Hey, I need another favor. Think you can compile a list of all of Omoikiri Touga's previous wives and girlfriends?"

Heisuke went silent for several seconds. The younger make sucked a cautious breath between his lips, "Is that a good idea? I mean he's…" Okita didn't let him finish that train of thought.

"I don't give a damn what he is. If he's connected to this case then it's our job to investigate." His voice grew harsh. "Money doesn't matter here. Fuck his donations, we need answers." It was no secret that the man dumped a significant amount of money into their humble station. Most times it was his funds that kept their building in working order. The higher ups were going to be exceptionally cautious in investigating him.

Heisuke made a noise of disagreement on the other line, "Alright fine. I'll send you what I find. Just," he paused as if searching for the right words. "Don't go getting yourself in deep shit. You've got a bad habit with that."

Okita laughed heartily at the notion, "I'll be fine so don't worry. I've gotten through tougher guys than him before." He put his dying cigarette into his ash tray; killing what was left of its embers. "Just get me that info."

The line went dead and Okita looked over the files once more. A drug addicted mother. A teenage witness that wouldn't talk. A man with enough power to sway public opinion. The pieces were starting to fit. The real question was if his suspicion would turn out correct.

The man paused as a message lit up across his phone. He glanced down to read a text from a number he didn't recognize.

 _Thanks for earlier._

He blinked then a small smile formed at the corner of his lips. It was the kid. Okita typed up a quick response and sent it. He'd have to keep his distance to maintain professionalism, but that didn't mean that he couldn't offer a helping hand. He set his phone down and made his way towards his bed. Maybe tonight he'd actually be able to sleep.


	7. A Call for Help

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Demons by Jacob Lee

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Seven** : A Call for Help

A rush of warm air spread through the brightly lit room. The moderately set heater was a nice break from the frigid temperatures of the headquarters. Saito settled into a cheap, plastic chair as a balding man in his late fifties introduced himself.

"I hope this will work for your intended purpose, detective." The man offered a polite bow in greeting. "My name is Miura Yuzuru. I'm the principal of this school. Please feel free to call on me any time you need."

He offered a small inclination of his head in return, "This shall be fine and I appreciate your cooperation." The investigator turned his attention to the matter at hand. "I was under the impression that Higurashi is an active member of the kyudo club?"

Miura's withered expression brightened, "Ah yes. She is one of its most accomplished members. She's currently its Vice President. Shall I bring the other members in to you?"

Saito waved his hand, "Please do. However let's begin with her classmates first. I'd prefer to conduct these one by one rather than as a group."

The man nodded again, "Of course. I'll see to it that we make that happen."

Saito sat back in his chair. Where Okita preferred to dance along the lines of legality, he on the other hand opted for more straightforward methods of investigating. His partner was currently focused on Higurashi's familial ties. Since early that morning, all he had been investigating were the folders Heisuke had sent him. Saito fought the urge to sigh. As tempted as he was to look through that information, at the end of the day it'd be moot point if they failed to secure hard evidence tying the perpetrator to the crime.

Knowing their killer and actually being able to convict their killer were two entirely different beasts. The man paused as the first group of students were brought in one by one. The vast majority were female classmates of the girl. He sat them down and interviewed them individually. This task took a much longer period of time but he found people to be far more truthful when he spoke to them directly in such a manner.

"So you've only known her for a short time?" Saito pressed for answers.

The teen, hardly a first year, nodded once.

"Yes, we shared an extra curricular class together but that was it. I don't speak to Higurashi much but I know that she's close to the people in the kyudo club." The girl tapped her chin as if in deep thought. That was already a given considering the amount of time Higurashi spent with them. Working from a wide angle first usually helped him drive down the evidence to a single point. Once he was done here, he'd move on to people closer to her. The teen shifted in her seat, "I think she might be the club's vice captain actually. Although I'd heard that there was a bit of drama between her and the captain."

His interest peaked, "Drama?"

The girl clenched her hands over her lap uncomfortably, "I don't know all the details but apparently they'd dated for a while. I'd heard that he and Omoikiri-san fought with each other frequently and she had to mediate between them." She turned to look down at her feet. "It wasn't pretty. I don't know what happened exactly but I just remember them throwing stuff at each other. One day Omoikiri-san even took a chair and threw it through a window. He was suspended for three days along with Yamada-kun for it."

Saito took a quick note. Inuyasha and the captain of the kyudo club hadn't gotten along. Kagome had been dating him at the time so perhaps a motive was seeded somewhere in that animosity? He'd need to dig further.

The girl offered one last bit of information before she left, "I don't know any of the specifics, however I do know that Kagome is incredibly close to Yamada-kun's sister, Katsumi. Out of anyone in this school, she probably knows the most about Kagome."

With that she was dismissed. The detective knew what his next course of action would be.

"Miura," He addresses the principal. Said man stood up straight at the mention of his name. "Please bring the Yamada siblings in next. I'll speak to the brother first." The aging male gave a polite bow before he wandered out of the room.

He took a moment to think over the new pieces of information. Inuyasha and Yamada did not get along. Enough so that Kagome was forced to separate their fights. So what caused the tension? A simple case of jealousy? Or was it something deeper than that? His eyes narrowed as the door opened a second time. A young man with a muscular frame, sharp eyes and a grim expression was led towards the single plastic chair they had available.

"Have a seat." Saito gestured towards the chair. Yamada took the spot without a word. "Please state your name for the record."

"Yamada Takeshi." The answer was curt, filled with anticipation to leave as quickly as possible.

"To start, please explain your relationship with Higurashi." It was best to begin with something simpler to answer. Something the teen could qualify without feeling anxious about the meaning or subtext. Saito observed the young man closely.

"We only dated for a few months after she joined the team." He kept his head turned away and his body pushed as far back in his chair as it would allow. "After a while things died out so we decided to take a break for a while."

The investigator raised a brow. That was a rather interesting choice of words.

"You didn't get along with her step-brother?" It came off more as a statement than a question.

Takeshi shifted again, "I didn't like the guy much. He was pretty possessive over her. Not like how a brother is either." The teen's brow furrowed. "I have a sister so I know what it's like trying to keep the creeps away from her, but Inuyasha was…" His voice trailed off.

Saito took note. Perhaps jealousy wasn't rooted solely in Takeshi. Could Inuyasha have called him to that building to try to forcibly cut contact between Higurashi and Takeshi? It was a motive he needed to keep in mind.

The teen sighed, "I know this doesn't make me look good but Inuyasha had a few hang ups when it came to her. He didn't like _anyone_ going near her. I was just the first guy who hadn't put up with his crap." His shoulders sagged. "It's not like I wanted to make a bad impression on the guy. Kagome always spoke so highly of him so I wanted to give him a chance." His voice grew steely as he recounted their interactions. "But he'd started spouting all this shit and we ended up butting heads a lot."

Takeshi met his gaze directly, "Kagome and I were going to take a break for a while so Inuyasha would have some time to cool off. He'd been under a lot of stress and she didn't want to frustrate him more than he already was." There was a brief pause, as if he were trying to piece together how to word his next assertion. "Truthfully, I think he was just scared at the prospect of losing her. They'd been friends forever and he just didn't want that to end. Then, just like that, he was gone."

A flicker of grief flashed through his expresssion.

Saito studied him intently. Clearly the boys both cared deeply for the girl. However their similar personalities caused unnecessary clashes. Having seen her step-brother and boyfriend fight so viciously probably called Higurashi into action. But was this enough to clearly state that Takeshi had motivation to murder Inuyasha? His gaze hardened. His gut twisted and he knew he'd already had the answer.

"Thank you. If we have any more questions then we'll be in touch." The investigator waved to dismiss the teen.

Takeshi stood silently. He'd waited until he'd made it to the door before pausing.

"One last thing," The male cocked his head over his shoulder. "I don't know what happened or why but I do know one thing." His time hardened and his shoulders squared. "There's more going on under that roof than what Inuyasha and Kagome told us. Can't say what either, there's just this bad vibe that you can't shake when you walk through the doors. Anyways, I'll be around if you need me."

With that the door shut behind him. Saito mulled over his parting words.

Wives. More than meets the eye.

He needed something else to go on. Something more tangible that a sickening feeling in a jealous teen's gut.

"Um, excuse me." A soft, feminine voice broke through the silence. "I think you called for me?"

"Yes, please have a seat." Saito gestured towards the chair Takeshi had just left.

The girl was roughly the same age as Higurashi. Long dark hair and nervous expression.

"Are you the one investigating Inuyasha's murder?" Her voice was timid as her fingers curled tightly into her skirt.

Saito nodded once, "Please state your name for the record." He tried to shift her back on track.

"It's Yamada Katsumi and," She glanced around as if terrified. "I think Kagome might be in danger."

That hit him harder than he'd anticipated. His eyes narrowed and his tone grew sharp.

"What do you mean?" Saito peered at the girl inquisitively.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cellphone.

"She sent this to me this morning." She pushed the device towards him. On it was a single text. He felt a cold chill run down his spine as he read it.

 _Please take care of Souta._

"Souta? As in Higurashi Souta?" He questioned.

Katsumi nodded, "Yes. He's her biological brother. She always told me that if something happened then I would be the only one she could trust with him." The girl's hands trembled violently. "Please, you have to find her. I don't know what's going on but this isn't like her. She'd only send this if…" Her voice cut off as tears threatened to fall.

Saito straightened his back as he addressed her concerns. "I'll look more into this message. First, was there anything unusual recently? Anything at all that might have been bothering her?"

Katsumi nodded again, "Omoikiri-san, her step-father, decided to arrange a party for her to host at the end of this month. It was supposed to be some sort of coming of age thing that a lot of the girls in that circle go through but I don't think she wanted to. She seemed really stressed out about it."

The detective thought over it again. At the end of the month? That was the anniversary of Inuyasha's death. Could her reluctance be due to that?

The girl spoke once more, "There's something else too." She waited until she had his full attention before continuing. "The day Inuyasha was murdered she'd sent another text similar to this one but it'd only said one thing."

He quirked his brow, "What was that."

"Wives."

Instinctively, he had to avoid allowing his expression to drop and show his surprise.

"I'm sorry but that's all I really know. So please, help fund her." Katsumi's voice dropped again. "Before it's too late."

Saito waited until the girl had been escorted from the room.

Wives, jealous exes, an overprotective brother and cryptic text messages. What did it all mean?

The man fished into his pocket and dialed a familiar number. He did agree with his partner's methods but perhaps that was what they needed right now to ensure Higurashi's survival.

"Souji," He greeted the male on the other end. "We need to find Higurashi."

Okita paused briefly, "So something happened?"

Saito took a breath between his lips, "It is uncertain but she'd sent a text to her friend this morning that is cause for concern." He thought for a bit longer. "I believe that the killer could be making their move if they suspect that she's given us any information."

His partner sighed heavily, "Thought so. I've got a good idea of where to look. You keep her old man busy for a little while. I've gotta go."

The line went dead. Saito glanced at his phone curiously. Keep her step-father busy? What _exactly_ was Okita planning? Regardless he needed to speak with him urgently as it were. If the girl had gone missing then he needed to verify that with her parents first and foremost.

He lifted his phone again and dialed out to a number he'd only had to call once before. Only now he hoped that he wouldn't have to bring bad news.

"Omoikiri speaking," The man answered.

The detective launched head long into the one part of dialogue he always hated the most, "Sir, may I ask you and your family to come down to the station? You're not being interrogated."

Tough paused on the other line, "What is this about?"

Saito pushed forward, "We have reason to believe that your daughter is in danger."

With that a mighty roar erupted on the other end of the line. He always dreaded this part. Telling a parent that their child was plausibly in mortal danger was never something he looked forward to.

"I'll be at the station in ten minutes. Please come when you have the chance." With that he ended the call. Saito tucked his phone back into his pocket. At this rate he only hoped that Okita's instinct panned out. The sooner they found her, the better. His eyes drifted to the courtyard outside, visible only through the tiny window across the corridor. It was clear that there were many who would miss her here.


	8. Cross Your Heart

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Remembering Myself by Stephen

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Eight:** Cross Your Heart

Okita woke to the sound of his phone vibrating noisily. He blinked the sleep from his eyes, slowly sitting up to grasp at the device. Who the hell would be calling him this early in the morning? He peered out the partially cracked blinds of his window. A blackdrop of the night sky with a small line of purple amongst the horizon reflected back at him. Dawn hadn't even broken yet.

The detective peered down at the contact. Immediately his back stiffened.

 _Higurashi Kagome_

Had something happened already? The man's expression stiffened as he answered the call.

"What's up, kid?" He kept his tone casual—a precaution against frightening her away.

"Detective," The teen's voice trembled. Whether out of fear or holding back tears, he couldn't be sure. "You said that you'd help? Do you think you can keep that promise?" The twinge of uncertainty was palpable in her voice. She wasn't trying to be snide or cruel. Something was wrong and even for just a moment, she was reaching out to him; trusting him.

"Tell me what you need." Okita kept calm. His instincts were already working into overdrive. The background was quiet therefore she was likely still at the Omoikiri Estate; probably hiding in one of their rarely used rooms. The fact that she likely hadn't left yet was good in its own way.

"I…" She stopped as if she'd been startled.

"What is it?" He turned to set his feet on the chilly bedroom floor. Okita braced his elbow over his knee and listened carefully for any other details on the other line. She was scared of something but _what_? His brows furrowed into a deep line.

Kagome's breath hitched with her fear, "I think we're running out of time. Can you meet me at that store from last night in two hours?" There was a second pause, this time coinciding with the sound of a door being bolted. Was she locking herself in or someone else _out_? "I can't give you the answers you want but I think there's something that you should know."

Okita closed his eyes, "Let me guess, it's something you can't say over the phone?"

She sighed, "Sorry. I'll explain what I can later. Will you be there?" There was a sharp intake of breath, as if fearful that he'd reject her request.

The man had no idea how he always got himself in these sorts of situations but if she was in need of help and looking to him for it, then he couldn't necessarily deny her. Especially after his promise last night.

"I'll be there." Okita roughly stood from his bed. He pocketed his wallet and keys before continuing. "Hey kid," A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "Thanks for calling. Just do what you can. I'll be there soon."

She didn't answer. The phone line went dead and a sickening feeling twisted in his stomach. Whatever danger she was in, whatever threat the killer was holding over her head, he'd find out one way or another. He'd make damn sure of it.

Okita quickly threw on his clothes and a thick jacket. Winter was starting to hit hard and knowing the girl she'd just run out in whatever she was wearing. The man moved towards his closet and grabbed another coat from its hanger. The cloth was old, hardly wearable but it was better than nothing at all. His eyes dived over the fabric. Holes were torn where he'd used to push his thumbs through. The dark color helped to hide the previous stains from its extended use. He tucked it over his arm. The detective took his phone. He had one last call to make but hopefully it'd give him something more to work from than what he currently had.

"Heisuke," Okita greeted his colleague on the other end after he'd answered. "You got that file for me?"

The younger male made a small noise at the back of his throat, "Yeah I got it but…" He interrupted him.

"Thanks, just forward it to my email. I'll be out most of the day today. Have Hajime contact me if something happens." With that he ended the call.

 _Wives_

That word had been circling around his head. What role could Touga's wives have had in all of this? The man was a known womanizer, jumping from woman to woman even during his two previous marriages. So what did their importance mean? Why would they be connected to Inuyasha's murder? Could something about them be the key to solving the case?

Okita brushed it aside. He'd have to figure it out later. Right now, there was a girl who desperately needed his help and he'd be _damned_ if he just left her there.

Memories of a biting cold wind, debilitating hunger and numb limbs came to the forefront of his mind. His fingers twitched over the spare jacket. This was a terrible idea. He knew he was compromising the whole investigation by meeting with their witness in such a way. However, his eyes narrowed, he wouldn't turn away. Not now. Not ever again.

Okita glanced at his house once as he exited the door. This place was cold as fuck, dingy and hardly worth the money he spent on it. Yet it was _home_. Despite that over-sized mansion, he doubted Kagome thought the same of her step-father's house. It may be large but it wasn't home to her.

The detective closed and locked his door. He may not be able to do much but he'd be damned if he didn't at least help her find a place she felt safe. After all, that was his job wasn't it?

* * *

Okita trailed the tips of his fingers along his carton of cigarettes. He hadn't had one since last night and the urge was hitting him pretty hard. His eyes scoured through the throng of people that passed through the doors of the convenience store. This was the place, so where was she?

The man paused as his phone went off again. Was it her? He tilted the screen towards him.

 _Saito Hajime_

Ah, he probably found something.

Okita quickly answered. The longer their conversation went on, the more his brows furrowed. The kid was 'missing' and she'd sent her friend a concerning text requesting that she take care of her brother. The killer was definitely making a move. He ended the call and tried to dial out to Kagome once more. There was no ring tone. Only an automated voicemail that came standard with the phone itself. How odd, she never recorded one for herself?

The man withdrew a cigarette from its carton. He seriously needed a smoke. He'd be able to piece together all this shit better if he had one. He placed the butt between his lips and flicked his lighter open. Just as the flame touched the end of the stick, a voice called out to him.

"That's bad for your health, detective." Kagome came to his side. Her hands tucked into the pockets of her jeans and a hoodie pulled over her head.

"Yeah well, I'm an adult so I can do whatever the hell I want." Okita inhaled once then turned his head away from her to exhale. An acrid curl of smoke drifted into the winter's air—blending with the overcast sky. "Anyways, you wanted to talk?"

The teen nodded, "Yes but it's…" Her voice trailed off as she glanced at the crowd suspiciously. Now he really was putting himself in deep shit.

"I take it that it's that important?" He pulled the cigarette away from his mouth; the end still leaving a trail of smoke.

Kagome glanced down at her feet. Her lips pressed into a thin line and her silence held longer than normal.

Okita sighed, "I'm going to regret this. Come on, this way." He waved his hand as he pushed off from the side of the building. "Don't worry, we're just going somewhere else to talk privately." The detective threw a sharp grin over his shoulder. "I ain't gonna do anything weird so don't panic."

She shot him a wary glance but followed after him.

"Where are we going?" Kagome didn't attempt to hide her suspicion.

Okita took another drag from his cigarette, "My place. You can't talk in public and I can't be seen with you like this either." The smoke trailed behind him in a line of coiling, grey tendrils.

The teen snorted through her nose, "So taking an underage girl back to your home is the solution? I'm beginning to question your ability to problem solve, detective."

He should've expected that one, "Don't make it sound so weird." He gestured towards her, "You tossed your phone again because you didn't want to be traced. Plus you put on that sketchy get up to avoid being recognized. Whatever it is you've got to say can't be done in public so we'll go to the only other safe option. That's all there is to it."

She cast a wary glance at him but chose not to argue. Okita wove through the backstreets purposefully; avoiding any chance of being spotted by the main threads of traffic. He tucked his hands into his pockets as he led them back to his home. This would put him in some deep shit if he got caught. Hopefully he could at least glean something useful from this meet up.

The detective ushered his companion through the side gate of his backyard. They hurried towards the door and rushed inside, hoping that no prying eyes had caught sight of them.

Kagome stepped to the middle of his kitchen where the door they'd entered had led. He couldn't see her expression but he could hear the tale tell sniffing as if she caught the scent of something disgusting.

"Your place reeks. Do you smoke inside or something?" The teen didn't hold back her critique. "Smells like cigarettes and something a bit like a skunk." Her nose twitch, "Expired espresso?"

Okita threw both his jacket and the spare he'd brought over the back of his chair, "I don't think I asked for your opinion, kid. Now sit down." He gestured towards the open seat across from him. "You wanted to talk?"

She sank into the wooden chair. Her shoulders were stiff and she kept the hoodie up, shielding her face from view. "Yeah, I did." Her tone shifted into something more guarded. "You already know, don't you?"

His brow twitched, "Know about what? I can't read minds. If there's something you want to say then you've got to be clear about it." His eyes hardened. "Why can't you _really_ talk with us at the station? Why are you using cryptic messages?" He leaned forward on his elbows, "Who are you trying to protect?" Perhaps he'd gotten a bit ahead of himself. He'd only gone out to help her yet now this was transforming into another interrogation. He _really_ needed to work on his people skills more.

The teen shook her head, "I can't give you the answers. Even if I wrote a statement it wouldn't do you any good without hard evidence to connect the killer with the crime. You have to do that on your own, detective." She wrung her hands together nervously atop the table. "It's not like I want to stonewall your investigation but you won't be able to use my testimony in the court. As an investigator I'm sure you can figure out why."

Okita pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. She had a point. Written statements without hard evidence were circumstantial at best. If they were to go to trial on her word alone then it could morph into a battle of who's the most credible witness. Given her history… Okita sighed heavily.

"I get your point, so what was it you wanted to tell me?" He tried redirecting the conversation. "Does if have anything to do with the reason why you're not showing your face right now?" The male pointed towards the still turned up hood. "You can relax while you're here, you know. It's not like I can toss you in a jail cell without having to explain why you're in my house." A light smirk touched his lips. If there was anything he was good at, then it was lightening a dark mood. He'd done it all his life so this certainly wouldn't be any different.

The teen hesitated. Her fingers played with the strings of her jacket.

"You can't freak out. Promise?" Kagome's tone went quiet.

His brows furrowed. She was shifting around—clearly nervous about his possible reaction to whatever she was hiding.

"Fine. I promise. Now will you show me? It's getting weird just looking at a void for a face." The man tried to lighten the mood once more.

Gingerly, she took the edge of her hood and pulled it back. Black strands of hair fell over her face, actively hiding what she didn't wish for him to see. He blinked once, then twice before sucking his breath.

"You promised." Kagome turned her head away. The teen's fingers trembled violently. She was petrified and for good reason. Around her neck was a dark bruise in the shape of two hands. Blood still trailed from a fresh cut at the edge of her mouth and scratch marks littered her face, neck and what was visible of her arms.

Okita could have gone off. He could have snapped, charged out of his home and demanded answers from Touga and Izumi. Instead, he quietly stood from his chair, padded into his bathroom and grabbed a first aid kit before returning to her side once more.

"Here," The man withdrew a cleansing wipe along with rubbing alcohol. "Let's get you taken care of." He cringed the closer he looked at the wounds. They weren't deep but they were meant to cause as much harm as possible. Judging by the excessive amount of scratch marks, it'd be easy to surmise that these had been left by Izumi. His lips pressed into a thin line.

"You're not going to push me to take evidence?" Kagome flinched the second the alcohol touched her skin.

"That's not what you want, right kid?" Okita didn't spare a glance. His hands kept to their task, clearing the shallow cuts of bacteria. "I can't very well force you to. Just keep this on it." He pressed gauze against it. "You want to tell me what happened though?"

He met her gaze. A flicker of uncertainty flashed in her expression. She was still scared. He'd suspected that she might've been accomplice to the murder. Now, the more he tried to close in on her the more he believed that Saito's gut feeling was correct. She was a witness too afraid to speak. In many ways, he was likely her only lifeline. He paused at that thought.

What would Kondou do in this situation? Hell, even Hijikata likely would have a better solution.

"Mom got angry at me." Kagome's voice was barely audible. Her gaze turned downwards to her feet, avoiding his eyes altogether.

"Because we pulled you into the station the other day?" He gently pressed for answers.

She nodded once.

"So she did this?" He pushed for more. A second nod.

"Touga already went to work. Souta was there so I couldn't let him see." Her shoulders began to shake. On the back of her hand he spotted the first evidence of her tears.

Okita wrapped his hands around hers. It was a simple gesture—one that he knew to be inappropriate for their situation. Yet the more he looked at her, the more he felt himself staring back at the mirror. She was only one step away from becoming a runaway or missing teen. He curled his fingers over the side of her hand. How long had it been since someone had done something like this for her? A sickening feeling twisted in his stomach. He hated this.

"You sent him to the Yamada Estate?" Okita asked. He kept his hands over hers as she calmed enough to speak between soft sobs.

"Yeah, I got him outside and told him to stay over there tonight." She shook violently within his grasp. "I couldn't do anything else. Mom was angry and when she's like that she just _snaps_."

He didn't dare look away. She was asking for his help right now and he refused to deny her what she desperately needed.

"Is that why you wanted to meet?" His question was met with a vigorous shake of her head.

"No," Kagome sniffed, "Close but that's not it. Earlier, when mom first went ballistic, she said something weird."

His brows furrowed, "Weird how?"

Azure eyes turned towards their interlaced hands, "Weird in that she said I didn't have much time left. That she knows everything."

"Everything about the murder?"

Kagome nodded again, "She said that I was on borrowed time. I think she means that the killer will try again soon. Probably the same day as the party."

At his confused glance she pressed forward, "The day Inuyasha died wasn't just a regular day for us. It was my birthday that day." The picture was beginning to fall together but he still needed a few more pieces to make sense of it all. "When a girl turns eighteen, a special gala is held to mark her entrance into adulthood in the circles that the Omoikiri family frequents. In this case, the gala for my birthday is going to be held the same day as the anniversary of Inuyasha's death."

Okita narrowed his eyes, "So they're planning something then?"

The teen sighed, "I don't know. I tried to get it out of her but this happened." She gestured towards her neck. Kagome's grip on his hands tightened. Her eyes sharpened as she leaned over her knees, "I know I'm not making this easy. I want to be honest but I _can't_. I don't know what the plan is or anything. I can't take any risks right now. Please," her voice rose several notches with her desperation. "You _have_ to find the killer on your own. Bring them to justice and end this charade once and for all. I can't do anything. I don't have the power, resources or clout to take them down. But you just might be able to."

Okita met her eyes fiercely. There was so much uncertainty and desperation. Truly, it was just like he was looking at himself when he'd been her age.

"Kid, I won't go making any empty promises to you but I will say this." He pressed his thumb and index finger to her chin, forcing her to look at him when she'd turned her eyes away. "I will do everything I can to get you out of that house. Just put your faith in me, think you can do that?"

A small smile touched her lips, "I'll try."

He grinned widely back at her.

"Good, now just make yourself at home here for a little while. I've got to head down to the station." He donned his coat and grabbed at his keys.

Kagome cocked her head. A curious look clouded her expression.

"Apparently my partner called your step-father down after you sent that text to the Yamada girl." Okita pulled another cigarette from the carton. He pressed it between his lips and lit the end with his lighter. "I'll go feed some bullshit excuse to him for now so you can take some time to calm your nerves. Frankly I don't think it's safe to send you back just yet given what your mom did, so just sit tight until I get back. You good with that?"

Kagome stared up at him in shock, "But won't you get in trouble? This is against protocol isn't it?" The teen chewed on her bottom lip nervously.

Okita gave a short snort of laughter, "Kid, just focus on yourself. I'll worry about the other shit. You're still just a brat so let the adults do all the difficult crap, alright?"

She quirked a brow at him, "You call yourself an adult?"

That time he didn't bother hiding his amusement. "Yeah yeah. If you want to leave just go out the way we came in. Careful of the neighbor on the right though. Woman is a nosy little hawk." The man made his way across the living room before stopping by the door. "I'll be back in a few hours. So don't worry. Just let me handle this." Okita didn't look back nor did he stop to contemplate his rather questionable actions. He merely offered a quick wave of departure as he left the house.

He'd keep the girl safe for as long as he could. What still remained was a mystery he was starting to get a better grasp of. Perhaps wives wasn't meant as a particular person but a shared trait among the women Touga had dated. The detective tucked his hands into his pockets. He'd think about that later. Right now, he _really_ needed to think of a good excuse.

There was no good reason for an underage teen to be staying at an unrelated man's house in the eyes of the law. If he was caught harboring a run away then the penalties would be stiff. Especially with Touga at the helm of leading those charges. A cold chill shot through his body at the thought. He'd just dropped himself in a heap of shit, hadn't he?


	9. Death to the Charade

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Dollhouse by Melanie Martinez

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Nine** : Death to the Charade

Kagome took a quick glance around the detective's home. Aside from the overpowering scent of cigarettes and coffee, he kept things pretty tidy. She cocked her head to the side curiously. She'd somehow expected for his home to be much more messy. Considering his job she'd just assumed that he wouldn't have had much time to keep things looking nice. Her eyes swept across the room. The chairs were neatly organized, his small DVD collection was alphabetized and there wasn't a book out of place.

Yet the walls were stained a soft shade of yellow; likely from the nicotine of his smoking habit. Did he not at least open his windows when he used them? She bit the inside of her cheek. Was he just too tired to do it? Or had he just gotten that comfortable in his own habit? Either way it was going to destroy the overall value of his house if he didn't watch it.

The young woman approached the cabinetry in his kitchen. Well, he was kind enough to let her stay in his home despite the risk to his career. The least she could do was help clean some of the walls and floors. She did _not_ want to pilfer through any of his "secret drawers". Those would be best left as a mystery.

The teen crouched down as she peered under the sink. Two full bottles of floor cleaner and bleach were left unopened. Her brow twitched. Maybe his job just kept him too busy to do little more than straightening up. She pulled out the bottles and scanned the area for the rest of the supplies. Now where was a bucket, rag and mop? Surely he had to have them around here somewhere. Kagome peered towards the door that led to the tiny garage. Could it be out there? She rose to her feet. It'd be a safer option than searching his personal bathroom. She shuddered at the thought. Nope, she was definitely not going to go in there.

She pushed open the door to the garage and reached for the light switch. The area became bathed in light, showcasing a space filled with neatly organized boxes. Each one labeled with their exact contents. It was a neatly organized disaster of box columns. How he did it was a complete mystery.

She made her way further inside, scanning for anything remotely like cleaning supplies.

Now where would they be? She shuffled over towards a metal cabinet. He didn't seem to have a car so it possibly would be in there. She lifted her hand and pulled back the door. Inside was the bucket, mop and rag she'd been searching for but something else as well.

It was a small box, hardly big enough to fit a few portraits. The flaps were partially opened, revealing a short stack pictures most of which were of him and an older woman that bore a very similar resemblance. She had the same brunette hair and emerald eyes but there was something sharp about her gaze; _piercing_ almost. By the downturn of her lips she guessed that the relationship was not likely a positive one. She didn't seem old enough to be his mother so perhaps a sister? Kagome didn't pay much heed to it. The detective's history was none of her business. If he wanted to tell her of his own volition then that was one thing. As of now her only goal was to clean, not to snoop.

She made her way back out, ensuring to shut off the light and close the garage door behind her. She had _a lot_ of work ahead of her but if she was lucky she could get it done in a few hours. A small, determined smile lit across her features. She'd have this cleaned before Okita came back. That she was intent on seeing through.

* * *

Okita sighed to himself. How did he _always_ put himself in the middle of tricky situations like this? He was hardly a block away from the station and no closer to figuring out a good excuse for her absence. If he was caught harboring a runaway then he'd might as well just throw his own ass in jail. Troublesome kid.

He reached into his pocket, searching for his carton of cigarettes. His fingers brushed against the edge. What the hell was he gonna say? That the kid was alright and not to worry? That wouldn't fly. Especially not with Hijikata keeping an eagle eye on his ass after the last fuck up.

The detective withdrew a stick before reaching for his lighter. All it'd take was one more screw up and he'd be tossed back out to the streets. Kondou wouldn't be able to protect him from something of this magnitude. Okita paused, pulling the cigarette from his mouth. Fuck, he hadn't the first idea on what to do.

"Souji," His partner's familiar voice sounded off from a few feet ahead of him. He glanced up in time to find Saito approaching him, his brows furrowed in concern. "Did you find her?"

Okita sucked in a breath. Should he lie? Tell a partial truth? Shit, he didn't know.

"Kid likely went to a friend's house." He started out smoothly. "I'll go check in with a few of them to see if she's there." He swiftly redirected the conversation. "Has the killer made any contact yet?"

Saito narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously, "Not as of yet. You think it's related?"

Okita shrugged nonchalantly, "It's a possibility. Besides, I've got a few questions I want to ask Omoikiri."

His partner shot him a baleful glare. The disapproval was thick in his outward expression. Words were not necessary for him to grasp the full depth of his partner's obvious distaste of that idea.

He held up his hands, "It's not anything huge. Just need to learn more about the kid's family life." His eyes narrowed. "Besides I've got a hunch that the real target might've been the kid all along. We just need to figure out why."

Saito trailed after him into the building, "Why are you so certain of that? The perpetrator could have easily gone after Higurashi first. Omoikiri Inuyasha was a more difficult target."

Okita smirked, "Not all killers murder because they find it fun. Some kill because the victim was in their way." He made his way into the half-broken elevator. The corner was practically torn to shreds and the inner wall of the shaft visible through it. "If Kagome is their target then Inuyasha would've protected her. The real question is from _what_ and _who_."

They breached their level in silence. They made their way to the interrogation room. Already Touga and Izumi were waiting for them. The man was flushed in fury while she clung to his arm, tearfully begging him to stop. A sickening twist coiled in his stomach. She was a wonderful actress. It was no surprise that she'd managed to skirt the system for so long with such oscar worthy tears.

Okita narrowed his eyes at the pair, "So." He began as his tone drained from all of its usual warmth. "Let's have a talk."

He may not be the best damn detective in the world but he knew a fucked up household when he saw one. This was no different. The vague memories of bone-chilling cold, hunger pains and the sting of displacement rushed forward in his mind. This case wasn't just business anymore. It was getting personal on a level he was growing uncomfortable with.

Even if he couldn't find the killer, he'd make damn sure that girl didn't have to suffer anymore. Not like he did.

A caustic smile spread across his lips, "So who wants to go first?"

This charade would end.


	10. Safe Haven

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Don't Close Your Eyes by Sam Tinnesz

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Ten** : Safe Haven

Sweat formed in small rivulets across her skin. Kagome wiped the back of her hand over her forehead. She'd forgotten how _hard_ it was to scrub walls with only a rag and some cleaner. She could hardly reach the areas she'd needed to. It'd been some years since the last time she'd been forced to scrub everything down. The previous time was much more difficult though. Her brows twitched in irritation. Well, it looked like there was only one option left.

She was going to have to mop the walls.

It was the only thing that could reach where she needed to. She only hoped that the effort would pay off. The young woman pressed the mop into the semi murky water. She'd been forced to change it three times by now. The baseboards, floor and countertops were scrubbed clean but that still left the upper sections of the walls. She couldn't leave those stained that atrocious color. Kagome strained the excess before setting it against the wall and scrubbing forcefully.

Yellow melted away to white the harder she pressed. Hours flew by and her elbows began to ache in protest. Just a little bit more. Azure eyes narrowed at the task at hand.

She had no idea when the detective would return home from work. If he was dealing with the fallout of her decision to runaway, then it'd likely be a late night for him. A twinge of guilt pulled at her consciousness. She felt bad for having put him in the middle like that. She was fully aware that he was risking more than just this case by harboring her; he was risking his very livelihood.

Kagome chewed on the inside of her cheek nervously. She didn't like feeling as if she were a burden. Even if she couldn't give him what he really wanted, she could at least do this. It was better than sitting around, doing nothing at all and letting the fear worm it's way into her psyche. She needed the distraction.

The teen glanced towards the clock. It was already half past five. If she hurried, she could probably finish the rest before it hit six. Determination filled her. She'd keep focused. That was the only thing she could do.

* * *

Okita looked between husband and wife suspiciously.

"You!" Touga shot up out of his seat. Fury mottled his features. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be searching for my daughter?" The man's voice raised several notches. That was an ironic demand for a man that never adopted said daughter. Alas that information hadn't been obtained legally so he was forced to use a different method.

He didn't pay Touga any mind. Instead he focused his sharp gaze on Izumi's sobbing figure. A twist of fury clouded his view. The bruising and scratch marks on Kagome's face and neck flickered in the back of his mind. His fist clenched tightly at his side. This woman was an actress. She was good at hiding herself until the last possible second. He'd need to tear away at her defenses and leave nothing but the truth behind.

"Where were you this morning, Miss Izumi?" He purposefully ignored Touga's overbearing presence. She didn't raise her head. She hardly acknowledged him besides the slight whimper in her voice. Okita's eyes narrowed further. "Let me rephrase the question. Do you know what happened to your daughter?" He was needling her. Touga already had his alibi checked out. He'd been at work with his oldest son, Sesshoumaru. The other man had vouched for his father's presence at the company. Which meant that only one person could have been witness to Kagome fleeing from the house; Izumi herself.

Touga paused mid-rampage. His eyes widened then refocused on his sobbing wife. A flash of realization flickered in his eyes. Now came the truth. Was Touga aware of Izumi's abuse? If so, how would he deal with it? Was he the passive enabler? Was he an aggressive protector? Okita observed the couple closely. He needed this information. It was necessary to not only get Kagome somewhere safe, but to get to the bottom of the reason why the killer had chosen her specifically. There was something in her life that made her a prime target. He just had to find out what that was.

"… it." Izumi's voice came in softly. He quirked his brow at the display.

"Come again?" Okita pushed her a little more.

"I didn't do it." Red rimmed eyes turned up at him. Her chin wobbled with the unreleased tears in her eyes. It was a good show but that was it. There was no substance, no true _feeling_ behind her little act. "She was gone when I woke up this morning. Her bed was empty."

Touga settled a suspicious glance on his wife. He was clearly aware of the tumultuous relationship between the two. So how would he respond.

"Is that so? Then why was Souta found at the Yamada Residence?" He pushed even further. "A girl like that doesn't ship her brother off on a friend without good reason." He dropped his voice into a low growl. "So how about we cut the bullshit. This little song and dance you're working doesn't affect me. What happened this morning?"

Izumi buried her face into her arms; hiding away from his prying eyes. That's all this woman could do. Just run away from her problems as if they didn't exist. It'd worked for her thus far but it wouldn't work now.

A long moment of silence passed.

The memories of his own youth kept flooding back to him. It didn't help that the weather was as cold now as it was then. He just couldn't escape the damn winter.

Touga sighed, "I'd like to speak with my wife about this privately. We are not being arrested so we will leave things at that for today." Golden eyes snapped to him intently. "Find my daughter detective, or find yourself without a sponsorship."

Ah there it was. The power play he'd been waiting for. Hijikata was going to flip his shit but this next part was _necessary_. Not only for the case but for Kagome's safety as well. Okita stood from his position. He tucked his hands into his pockets and settled a fierce glare on the man.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Omoikiri-san." He grabbed at his carton of cigarettes. Damn he really needed one. Too bad he couldn't light up inside the station. "The killer is still loose and right now those kids need you more than ever." His expression grew serious. He didn't have anyone to talk to his family when he was her age. He didn't have someone who gave half a shit if he'd died on those streets. He didn't want that for her. She deserved more than that fate. He met Touga's gaze, "You've got a decision to make. Your wife," He gave a brief glance to the sniffling woman. "Or those kids. You and I know that you can't have both."

Touga was silent. His lips pulled downwards into a thin line. The man clenched his fists at his sides.

"We're leaving."

Just like that the pair was gone. They rushed out of the building, leaving Okita to stare after them. His partner came to stand beside him. He'd remained silent for the duration of the interrogation. It seemed that he had chosen to let him do as he needed.

The man gave him a cautious glare. There was more than one reason why they'd been partnered together. Their opposing personalities worked well on the hunt for perpetrators. The old fashioned good cop, bad cop routine was their go to. But that wasn't the only reason why Hijikata has assigned them together. Back in his days as a beat cop he'd earned a reputation for being hot blooded and impatient. It was his greatest flaw. Saito was to serve as the brakes to his volatile nature. Not that it worked though.

"What was that?" Saito's voice came in cold. "Do you prefer being at that desk?" He pointedly reminded him of his previous punishment. Okita shrugged his shoulders.

"I ain't kicking a bear to see if it'll bite." The detective set his cigarettes back into his pocket. He'd smoke one later. For now he needed to head back home and check on the kid. It wouldn't be wise to leave her on her own for so long just yet. He turned his attention towards his partner, "She's got a bad relationship with her mom. If the killer wants to get the girl then he'll take advantage of this time."

The dark haired male furrowed his brows, "Then I'll set a patrol out to search for her. She can't be left on the streets for long."

Okita felt a wry smile pull at his lips. One thing was for sure. The kid wasn't as alone as she thought she was. It was a good sign.

"Sure. I'll check around some of her friends' places. Kid probably just wants some space and needed to get out." He started walking towards the exit. "She'll show up tomorrow. I just needed to put a bit of pressure on Omoikiri." Sensing Saito's question he continued. "We want her to talk. She's not going to do that if she thinks her family is at risk. Getting her separated from Izumi is gonna be the start to gaining her trust." He scratched at the back of his neck. "Only problem is that the only way to _really_ make that happen is to force Omoikiri's hand."

His partner scowled, "So you're taking advantage of their fight to encourage him to divorce his wife?"

Okita smirked, "Something like that. Really all he needs to do is get the kids out from her influence. We get him to do that, she might just talk."

Saito's expression grew dark. He didn't have to say what they both knew he felt. They were two very opposing sides to the same coin. Their goals were the same. Their jobs were the same. But their methods were so vastly different from one another.

Okita lifted his hand and gave a short wave.

"See you around, Hajime-kun. Keep me updated if you find anything." With that he walked out of the headquarters.

Kagome was safe for the moment. He'd drop her off in the morning when things calmed down. It was the best he could do for her at the moment.

The man left without glancing behind him. He tucked his hand back into his pocket and grabbed a single cigarette. He withdrew a lighter with his other hand and pressed the small flame against the butt. A cherry red dot glowed in the darkened alleyways. A trail of smoke curled behind him; twisting and fueling until it dissipated into the winter's air.

He rounded through the labyrinth of side streets and shady buildings. It was funny how close true crimes lurked to suburban neighborhoods. He was a stone's toss away from headquarters by comparison to his coworkers yet his house was nestled in a place that was unique in its own way. It was nice with plenty of small family run shops around, but just past the third block was one of the seediest neighborhoods around. It was an odd conflict of cultures. He was close enough to keep an eye on things while far enough to maintain his distance.

The man rounded the final path down the street to his home. It was quiet besides the Itou family's dog on the house to the left. That thing was a little yapper, constantly barking at everything that passed by the window. Okita plaintively ignored it. He finished his cigarette and snuffed it out beneath his heel. His eyes shot towards his house. The lights were left off. Which meant Kagome was either keeping a low profile or she'd already left.

His jaw clenched. Only one way to find out. He pushed his key into the lock and twisted. Hearing the soft click, the detective pushed open the door. His eyes scanned the area cautiously. The scent of his floor cleaner burned at his nose. Had she cleaned?

"Kid? You in here?" Okita called out tentatively. The living room was still dark. Night had fallen making it difficult for his eyes to adjust to the shift in his vision.

"I'm on the couch." Kagome responded softly from within the darkness. "I didn't want to draw attention so I kept the lights off."

His hand went to the switch. He flicked on the lights and was forced to do a double take of his own home. We're his walls _always_ that white? He couldn't remember. Seeing the shock flicker over his expression she continued.

"I thought I should do something as a thank you for letting me crash here." Her face turned towards the ceiling as a faint line of pink went across her nose. "I didn't go touching any of your personal stuff though. I just scrubbed off all the nicotine from the walls, floors and counters in this area." Her eyes narrowed at him. "Speaking of, haven't you ever heard of opening a window? You'll damage your resale value if you ever try to move."

His lips quirked upwards. He rather liked this change in demeanor in her. Definitely much more refreshing than the fear she'd expressed earlier. This somehow suited her more.

"Worried? I appreciate it but there's no need." The detective shrugged out of his coat. He threw it over the back of his chair as he made his way into his kitchen. "Anyways I can't go shopping but what do you feel like eating? I ain't gonna let a minor go hungry under my watch."

"Hey I'm only a minor for a couple more weeks." She crossed her arms over her chest petulantly. "Besides I can cook. You've already done enough."

He didn't miss the concern in her voice. She clearly understood the position he'd placed the both of them in. He kept his smile.

"So? I decided to do this, not you." He opened up his pantry and took a good look around. He might not have had much in the way of cleaning supplies, but his food was always stocked. "Anyways you best tell me now otherwise I might cook something you'll _hate_." His lips stretched into a wide grin.

Kagome took a seat at his table. Her eyes observing him like a hawk, "I honestly don't care. Also," She met his eyes shyly. "Thanks again for doing this."

Okita shook his head. He gathered up several ingredients before starting work on a simple, easy to make meal. "It's fine kid. I asked you to rely on me if you needed so that's what you did. I can't exactly blame you for doing what I asked you to." He felt the slight twinge of satisfaction. "If you two get into it again or if you think she's going to go off on you then come back here."

He started up his stove. He wasn't the greatest cook in the world but he knew enough to get by. The man placed the strips of meat across the pan as he pressed onward.

"You can come up with an excuse or something to avoid panic but this place is open for you as long as you need." He set a timer for the meat. "Better than having you running around on the streets by yourself. Take it from me kid, being out there is dangerous. _Especially_ in your situation."

He turned his back and rested against his counter. His features drew into a concerned scowl.

"Sleeping out on benches isn't the sort of thing teens like you need to be doing. This place is safe so just crash here when you need." He closed his eyes, fighting the urge to light another smoke. The girl spent hours cleaning his house. He wouldn't screw up her hard work by doing that in front of her. "I'll figure out the rest so you can keep doing what you need to."

Kagome stared up at him. Her face had shifted between shock, discomfort and finally settling on embarrassment. She was an open book to read when she was like this. A small smile pulled at his lips. It was nice.

"Thank you, detective."

He waved off her gratitude by plucking the finished food from the pan.

"Don't worry about that and just eat. I heard your stomach screaming a mile away."

Her face turned red as she tried to focus on the food in front of her. Okita took the seat beside her, calmly eating at his own meal. This had been the first time since he'd moved in that he had someone eat with him at this table. It wasn't a bad feeling. Not at all.

The pair settled on the couch next to each other after dinner. Neither spoke much but Kagome remained silent, glancing between him and the television curiously.

"Detective," Her voice was tiny. Hardly audible above the game show he'd turned on to help put her at ease. "Why are you doing this?" Azure eyes looked to him—piercing through him with the depth of her curiosity and cautiousness. She was still so skittish towards authority figures. Not that he blamed her.

He took a breath through his nose.

"That's not an easy answer." Okita smiled at the young woman warmly. "But just think of it as me doing my job. You need help and so that's what I'm going to do."

Kagome threw him a suspicious glance, "So taking in runaway minors is apart of your job? Wow, I didn't think the police force endorsed that sort of thing."

Damn she was cautious. A laugh fell from his mouth. He reached up, placed his palm over the crown of her head and gave it a rough tousle.

"Hey!" Kagome tried to protest.

"Don't make it sound so sleazy." He withdrew his hand and focused his attention back on the screen. "You're a good kid from what I can tell, Higurashi." She blinked the second he referred to her name. "Don't go fucking up your life like I did. That's all that I'm asking."

She sat back. Her eyes shifted towards her feet. A thoughtful look crossed her features.

He didn't push the subject further. If she wanted to open up to him then he'd have to gain her trust first. This was merely the first step towards that goal.

"Take it easy tonight. We'll figure the rest out tomorrow." He gave her hair another tousle. Kagome curled her legs to her chest and nodded once. She tucked her arms beneath her knees as she settled in to watch the show. As time passed her eyes slowly drifted closed. She nodded off, her body leaning into his heavily.

Okita blinked. Had time really gone by that fast? He looked towards his temporary charge. Her face was peaceful and her eyes were closed—a clear sign that she was fast asleep. He fought the urge to sigh. He couldn't just let a girl sleep out on his couch. Pressing one arm behind her shoulders and the other beneath her knees, he lifted her into the air. His brows knit together in worry. She was light. _Too light_. Was she eating enough? Or was she hiding out and feeding on scraps to avoid her family? He shook his head. He'd worry about that later. For now he needed to get her to bed.

Okita carries her to his room. He'd kept his place tidy so he had little to worry about in regards to that issue. The man gently lowered her onto the mattress, pulling back the sheets just far enough so he could put her beneath them.

The detective shifted her legs onto the bed fully and tucked her arms to her side. He tugged the bedding up to her neck before heading towards his closet. He grabbed a spare blanket and pillow before making his way back out to the living room.

Okita casually tossed them onto his couch before settling over it comfortably.

Saito had one thing wrong about him. He wasn't completely without his set of morals. There were two things that he could never overlook: abuse and starvation. The kid had struck both and he'd be damned if he left her to wallow in that hell hole.

He turned on his side. Emerald eyes drifted closed as he tried to push out the memories of his past.

This was going to be a long night.


	11. Memory Lane

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ True Colors by Zedd and Kesha

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Eleven** : Memory Lane

 _Seven Years Ago_

The streets were abnormally cold that night. Puffs of white air billowed into the air and dissipated into the fog with each labored breath he took. His jacket had long since tore. Holes dotted the fabric creating an easy breeze way for the winter's chill to cool his flesh.

Okita shivered. He tucked his arms close to his body as he bent his chin down to help maintain his body heat. His life had gone to shit. He had no home, no family, not even a 250¥ coin to his name. His eyes narrowed as his pace became brisk. The only thing he had now was a pocket knife and a dawning reality of homelessness.

"Where were you!?" A shrill, motherly voice screeched in a panic. His head instinctually swiveled around to catch a glimpse. Could it be...?

His shoulders deflated as he spied a tiny child run past his legs and wrap her arms tightly around her mother. Ah, it was just a lost kid. Besides, Mitsu hadn't ever been the type to go out looking for him either. She'd always just left him be. The teen's eyes narrowed. That was fine. It wasn't like he needed her anyways. He would carve out his existence in this world one way or the other. He wouldn't die out on the street like some sickly little rat.

Parent and child strode past him. The mother still fraught with worry and the girl still crying her fears. Okita felt a long lost sense of nostalgia. If only that'd been the case. Then maybe things wouldn't have ended up like they did.

"Oi!" A masculine voice sounded off behind him. However he kept walking. It wasn't like anyone ever noticed him anyways. "Hey, hold on!" Again he ignored it.

"Don't keep walking away!" Now the person sounded desperate. He cocked his head over his shoulder in vague curiosity. Behind him a towering man that could easily be more closely related to a bear than a human stumbled after him. "Finally! I got your attention!" A wide grin split the man's features. Okita quirked a brow suspiciously at the stranger.

"What?" The teen's tone was curt. This wasn't another one of those "do-gooders" was it? The ones that got nosey and always tried to ship him back to his sister's and force him to apologize for standing up for himself? He hated those types with a burning passion. Their "good will" had only ever caused problems for him. This was surely to be no different.

"Ah, sorry," The man chuckled in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to put you on edge. I'm Kondou Isami, might I ask for your name?"

Okita felt his expression deadpan. This idiot just went from goody two shoes to creeper in three seconds flat. His finger drew along the length of his knife's handle reflexively. Sure this guy was big but he was mighty fast himself. He was confident he could still win in a fight. His eyes narrowed at the stranger darkly, "Its none of your damn business. Now beat it."

Kondou was unmoved by his caustic attitude. He kept that wide smile and clapped a hand upon his shoulder.

"Nonsense, now come on. I'm sure you must be starving!"

Okita wasn't able to get away from him. The man's grip was strong as he pushed him into a local diner. Great, just what he needed. The teen glowered at the stranger. Was it be wrong to stab him?

Kondou took them to a booth. He sat directly across from him; that same bright grin upon his lips.

Okita tucked himself into a crouched position. He glared at the man from under the hood of his jacket. Should he fight? Or just run?

"Sorry if I came off as too forceful but I've been to noticing you wandering around here a lot." Kondou's smile dropped a little.

 _Here it comes._

Okita braced himself for the lecture he knew to be coming. They always lectured him. As if his brother-in-law's drinking habits were somehow _his_ fault. As if somehow defending himself against the bastard was a crime.

"You know, if you're in a tough spot then you can always drop by the station. Won't be much there for you to do but at least it'll be dry and warm." Kondou smoked again.

Okita blinked. No condescending attitude? No self-righteous posturing. His body relaxed somewhat in spite of the nagging feeling in the back of his mind. Could this man be trusted?

His brows furrowed, "What's the catch?"

Kondou smiled, "Go to school and stay out of trouble."

He blinked again. School? Hell he hadn't gone to one in several months now. His grades had always been shit and his behavior even more poor. He hated the whole prospect. But would it be worth putting up with it to have a place to crash at?

Both men paused as his stomach gave a long and low growl of protest. Okita folded his arms over his abdomen. Damn it.

Kondou said nothing. He merely waved down a waitress and put in an order for them.

"Let's get you some food. A young man like yourself should be getting his fill!" Kondou smiled once more.

Okita subtly relaxed. Maybe this guy wasn't so bad after all?

* * *

 _Present Day_

Kagome woke in darkness. She blinked the cocked her head to the side. Where was she? The scent of cigarettes and coffee was overpowering. She shifted to sit up. Sheets pooled around her waist as a mattress dipped under her weight. Was this the detective's room?

Her heart leapt into her throat. They hadn't done _anything_ , had they? Her eyes surveyed her surroundings, quickly noting that she was alone in his bed. The young woman sighed in relief. She didn't think Okita would be the type of man to try something on her like that but she could never be too careful.

Kagome slid her feet to the floor. It was carpeted, making it warm and soft to the touch. As opposed to the chilly hard wood that seemed to encompass every inch of the Omoikiri Estate. Her lips dipped downwards at the thought. She'd have to go back in the morning—and she'd need a damn good excuse of where she'd been. The detective was putting his neck on the line. She couldn't use some sort of half-baked explanation.

She roughly stood from the bed. It creaked and groaned in protest as she did so. The young woman crept across the floor towards the kitchen. Perhaps she could grab a glass of water without disturbing Okita?

Kagome tried to step quietly. The living room was still bathed in darkness. However she could hear the faint breathing of the detective. The young woman stopped in her tracks. Subtle, nearly pained moans filled the silence. Had he gotten injured? She made her way towards the couch; being careful as to not make any noise.

Kagome peered over the headrest. The detective laid in a heap upon the couch; his leg hung off the edge as his face contorted almost painfully. She observed as his brows twitched. Was he having a nightmare? An unsettling feeling pulled at her. She couldn't leave him like this.

The young woman made her way around. She carefully lifted his leg back onto the couch, then pulled the blanket up to his neck. His face still remained distraught. Kagome brushes her fingers across his forehead. It was cool and clammy. At the very least he wasn't running a fever. She made her way towards the kitchen; quickly grabbing a glass and filling it with faucet water. This would do much but at least she could give him what he needed for the moment. It was the least she could do.

Kagome set the glass upon the end table beside his head. She turned on her heel to make her way back to the bedroom. She'd give him the space he needed. She doubted that he'd want her to see him in such a state.

Kagome closed the door behind her. She crawled back into the bed—the mattress creaking in protest as she did. The scent of cigarettes and coffee envelopes her. It was a strange mixture but as of this moment it felt so comforting. Her eyes slid closed. She'd deal with her family tomorrow. For now she just wanted to sleep.

* * *

Okita woke with a start. His body shivered involuntarily. How long had it been since he'd dreamed of those days? He lifted his hand to wipe the sweat from his brow. As he drew away something cold and wet touched the back of his hand. The man paused. Emerald eyes shifted towards the object. A glass of water? He hadn't remembered grabbing one last night.

His gaze shifted towards his bedroom. Had she done it? A faint smile pulled at his lips. The kid was something else. He took the glass, downing the water as he did.

They needed a plan. He couldn't just claim to have found her wandering the streets. The Yamada family were one of the first to report her missing. So what were their options?

"Detective?" Kagome appeared in his doorway.

He flashed her a brief smile, "Morning kid. Sleep well?" He noted the way her hair stuck up on all ends. Looked like she'd been rolling around all night. He used his hand to stifle the laughter that threatened to spill out.

She shot him an unenthused glance, "Your mattress is expired."

He couldn't hold back his mirth. Okita laughed heartily. Now where had he heard that before?

He waved his hand, "Yeah yeah, now get over here. Gotta feed ya before I send you back."

The teen didn't argue. She took the blanket from him before he could protest. Wordlessly she'd folded it and placed it back on the couch. Maybe this was the girl's way of showing her appreciation? He stepped towards the kitchen. His eyes narrowed on the array of food items and ingredients. Now what to make?

She came to a stop beside him, "I can cook. You can relax for now." He felt her hands upon his back, gently pushing him towards the living room once more. "You've done enough. So let me at least do this."

He wanted to argue. Truly he did, but the slight edge in her voice stopped him. His shoulders slumped as he cast her a glance.

"Alright but don't go burning the house down. I need to be able to resell it later." He slipped away with a laugh. Okita sank into his familiar spot on the couch. He flipped on the television and watched. The scent of eggs, rice and some sort of meat filled the air.

His eyes focused on the screen. He'd double down on Omoikiri later today. He'd need the man's help in getting both of the Higurashi siblings away from their mother. That would be the only way Kagome would talk. His eyes slid over to her form. He observed as her azure gaze remained upon the skillet she was using. Her body seemed so thin and frail for her age. Not to mention that her pallor was much too pale. He didn't have a lot of time.

Okita felt his brows furrow. Today he'd work on securing a safe location for them. After that he'd hunt down the killer. That was his job after all. His finger trailed along the carton of his cigarettes. Just a little more. That was all he needed. His eyes narrowed into thin slits.

He wouldn't fail a second time.


	12. Vow

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ DNA by Lia Marie Johnson

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Twelve** : Vow

Okita glared at the computer screen in front of him. The image of Kagome's bruised and scratched face reflected back at him in his mind. He'd taken her home early that morning—inventing a quick excuse about the girl staying out to get away from her mother. It was a low blow to use against Touga but necessary all the same. The bruising and scratch marks did most of the convincing for them. The man could no longer hide behind a façade of ignorance. He'd have to make his move.

Kagome would not talk unless she felt safe. As a detective, it was his job to make that happen. Even at the cost of tearing a marriage to shreds. He blinked. Wait, marriage? The word she'd carved into the desk came to the forefront of his mind.

 _Wives_

He'd suspected that Kagome had meant Touga's wives. He just hadn't had the chance to delve further into that prospect yet. He quickly glanced over the man's information.

Omoikiri Touga: Married three times. Each one lasting eight years or less. In between the marriages were several indiscreet relationships he'd made no habit of hiding. Sesshoumaru was his son born from his first marriage to Tsuyosa Kimi. At the time Touga and Kimi had been high school sweethearts. She'd gotten pregnant shortly after graduating and went on to raise their son together with him until Touga started up his own business.

Okita's brows furrowed.

Touga had hired a sixteen year old Ummei Izayoi as a part time secretary. The files were nondescript but there was an indication that Touga had an illicit affair with her prior to coming of age for consent. The two carried on their trysts until she was eighteen wherein Touga promptly divorced Kimi and married a heavily pregnant Izayoi. It was from this marriage that Inuyasha was born. Not four years afterwards Izayoi was struck with an incurable illness and passed away.

Since then Touga had remained largely single. He'd spent his time raising both his sons and entering affairs with women just out of high school. The most notable of which was a girl by the name of Chouhou Minako. She'd been the daughter of an illustrious author. Touga had close ties with her father and as such attended the coming of age gala they'd hosted for her. The tabloids indicated that they'd gone to his home together afterwards. Minako had never spoken publicly about the event but she'd cut ties with the Omoikiri family shortly after the incident.

Which just left Higurashi Izumi. A drug addicted woman who'd met Touga by chance as he'd visited the dilapidated shrine. She'd been twenty-eight at the time of their first meeting. Kagome had been nine and her younger brother just three years old. Touga had not appeared closely related to Izumi in the time of their youth. It was only after the discovery of the children's living situation that he'd taken an active stance with her—by gaining emergency custody of the children.

It's murky as to when or how things turned romantic in Touga's relationship to Izumi. The only thing that was known was the fact that he'd only been married to her for three years and she was far from the type of woman he'd been attracted to in the first place.

Okita rubbed his face. Gods above, could this get anymore complicated? The man paused. His eyes narrowed as he scanned through the documents once more. There was a pattern here. One that Izumi didn't fit at all. Kagome on the other hand… his stomach dropped. A sickening feeling coiled within him. Okita did not deny the fierce wave of protectiveness that shot through him.

Could Touga be sexually attracted to Kagome?

He felt his body roil at the thought. It would make sense given Touga's history and the reason why he never fully adopted her; unlike Souta. If he'd found himself attracted to her then he would've made steps to covers his tracks to avoid any further rumors from being spread—unlike his hasty behavior during his relationship to Izayoi.

Okita thought back to the previous interviews he'd had with the man. He'd been oddly hyper-focused on her. The man had kept one arm around her shoulders the entire time he'd spoken to them. Not to mention Touga's severe reaction when they'd pulled her into the interrogation room earlier in the week. His lips dipped downwards. The man was always touching her. He hadn't thought much of it then but perhaps there was a more possessive connotation to the behavior.

He felt a fierce wave of protectiveness rise up once more.

She was a vulnerable girl. Her mother was abusive in more ways than one and she had no adults in her life that she could trust. Touga himself always seemed to have a vested interest in the teen. His ferociousness only exceeded his eccentric persona when she was involved. The fact that Kagome _didn't_ cling to him as an adult figure in her life was telling.

The detective felt his blood boil. No fucking wonder she wouldn't talk. She _couldn't_. If Touga had spent those years grooming her, then it'd stand to reason that he'd be cautious of acting too early. His marriage to Izayoi had been fraught with rumors. His predatory actions towards the girl had painted him negatively to the public. If Touga were to enter into another relationship he'd have to take precautions. Except that this went beyond the typical notions of age-gap relationships.

The image of Touga lying over her prone figure surfaced to the forefront of his mind. His childhood had been shit. His brother-in-law had beaten him senseless as his sister just stared on. He'd been homeless, cold and hungry. He'd seen more crimes than he could count but the one thing he could never stand were predators. This case just blew past his last reservation. The girl had come to him in a desperate bid for help. He wouldn't screw that up now.

Okita's lips curled back into a snarl. Fuck it. He _had_ to get Kagome out of there one way or another. That only left one choice for him to make.

He lifted his phone, dialing Saito's contact as he did so.

The phone rang thrice before his partner answer.

"Souji, I'm conducting interviews at the school. Where are you?"

He didn't give him a chance to press further, "I've got a lead."

* * *

Kagome felt arms wrap around her tightly. She sighed, trying to fight down the edge of guilt. Okita had taken her home that morning. Her mother hadn't spoken to her but Touga remained uncomfortably close. She'd escaped to school where she'd been greeted with odd stares, shrieks of relief and tearful friends. Now that the Kyudo Club was starting it's activities, most of the crowd chose to circle around her—worry evident upon their expressions.

Katsumi buried her face into her friend's neck. Sobs wracked her body as she clung to her desperately.

"I was so scared something happened to you!" She managed through the tears. "Where've you been!? Souta couldn't stop crying for you!"

She should've anticipated on this. She should've taken into account how _terrified_ her friends and brother would become. Alas she didn't get that chance. The teen wrapped her arms around her friend in a soothing manner.

"I'm sorry," Kagome apologized. "It was _complicated_." She'd hoped that her tone would emphasize the seriousness of the situation. Katsumi sniffed then nodded. She'd managed to hide most of her injuries with make up and a thick choke collar necklace.

Takeshi laid a heavy hand onto her shoulder. His dark eyes were fraught with concern. In spite of their somewhat tumultuous relationship, they'd managed to remain friendly to each other post separation. She gave him a reassuring smile. It was the only thing she could do.

"Higurashi," The door to their club room opened. A teacher she didn't recognize stood at the threshold. "Is Higurashi Kagome here?"

She dropped her arms, "I'm here." Her voice sounded meek even to herself.

"Ah there you are. Please follow me. Your presence has been requested." The woman stated matter of factly. She didn't give her time to ponder the circumstances. Kagome shot her friends one last smile before trailing after the teacher. The walk through the emptied corridors was silent. She focused her attention on the bare, spindly branches of the cherry blossom trees through the line of windows that they'd passed.

Time was running short.

"Kid!" An all too familiar voice called out to her.

Kagome's brows shot up. Her gaze landed on Okita's panting form. Had he run all the way here? The detective straightened his posture. "Come on, I've got a room set up." His voice turned serious. "There's something my partner and I need to ask you."

The teacher excused herself. Kagome looked between his concerned expression and a spot upon the floor. Had he already figured it out? Her chin tipped downwards. She felt her hands begin to shake.

She was scared.

Warm fingers curled around her own. The young woman snapped to attention. Okita had grabbed hold of her. His eyes burned with a fierce protectiveness that she was unused to. It made her chest feel light and an odd warmth heated her face.

"It's alright," His voice soothed. "I'll be in there with you, but I'm going to need you to be honest. Even if you think your testimony won't help; this isn't just about the murder case." His grip grew firmer. "Do you understand?"

Kagome was silent. Her testimony wouldn't be worth anything. Even if she broke down and told the detective every little secret, she knew that it wouldn't do them any good. Without the hard evidence they'd have no way to convict—no way to end the nightmare. Okita's fierce gaze bore into her. His grip was tight but not in a painful way. It felt strong yet supportive; something she was unused to.

Could she trust him? _Should_ she trust him? Those questions rolled around in her mind. He was the first person to ever take her seriously. He was the first person who'd ever seen through the false impression her mother often gave. Maybe, just this once, she could give him a chance.

Kagome gave a faint nod.

"That's not an answer." She felt the heat of his body radiate off of him. When had he gotten that close? "Do you think you can tell us the truth? I need you to say it."

Kagome sucked a breath between her lips, "I'll try."

Okita's lips quirked upwards, "That's good enough."

* * *

Okita sat side by side with Saito. He kept his arms down and focused solely on Kagome's nervous posture. If his suspicion was correct then they'd have to immediately obtain an emergency order from a judge to remove both of the Higurashi siblings from Touga's home. It'd be a nightmare but worth it if it meant keeping the kids from being exploited.

"How long have you known Touga?" Okita purposefully started on the easier questions.

"Since I was a child. He visited the Higure Shrine frequently. Inuyasha was with him a lot then too." Her eyes were downcast. He knew that look. Where he's covered his pain with aggression, she curled into herself like a protective ball. His lips dipped downward.

"What happened after Touga and your mother got married?" Saito skipper further into the interview. He shot him an odd glance. The man was sharp—sharper than anyone he'd ever met—so it seemed strange that he didn't try to sort through more of their history beforehand.

Kagome kept her eyes on her wringing hands, "Mom told us that we had to move out of the shrine. The place was a mess so I understood that." The young woman furrowed her brows. "Things started off normally once we moved. There were those awkward moments of getting used to one another but other than that it was fine."

Okita sucked a breath between his lips. He hated what he needed to ask next but it was necessary. He _needed_ to know.

"Has he ever done anything to make you uncomfortable?" He observed as her shoulder twitched. Azure eyes looked away.

Fuck.

He knew that look. The downturned gaze, protective body language and haunted expression—his suspicion had been correct.

"Kagome," He tried a softer tone. "This isn't for the case. It's important. We need to know if there's any problems at home." His eyes briefly met hers. "We need you to trust us. Do you think you can do that?"

Okita knew that he was asking a lot. As far as Kagome knew all authority figures were out for their own gain. None of the judges ever gave half a shit about her or brother. On paper Touga sounded like the perfect step-father. Rescued them from a shit duration, got her mother back on track and taken them in as his own. The truth was far more sinister though. He had to keep pressing. Not just to solve this case but to make sure that she was _safe_.

Inuyasha was dead but that didn't mean that he couldn't save the girl in front of him right now.

"I can't tell you that." Her voice was soft.

"Are you afraid of something?" Saito pushed. He had to give the man credit, he could read through a person as if they were open books.

Kagome glanced down to her lap, "If I say then that'll only put them at risk. Please understand."

Okita leaned back in his seat. That was how it was going to be. There was someone whom she was valuing over her own safety. Someone she was trying to protect, even if it meant putting her directly in the line of Touga's predatory actions. His brows furrowed. There was only one person he could think of.

"You're talking about your brother, aren't you?" It was more a statement then a question.

She remained silent.

 _Bingo._

"Kid," He tried to talk to her but was quickly interrupted.

"I know what you're going to say." She began, "I know how this looks and that silence isn't the answer. The truth is that I _can't_ tell you anything. You'll have to figure the rest out on your own. Please understand." She offered them an apologetic bow. "Now please, I should get going before my family gets suspicious."

Okita sighed. He stood from his chair and led her out. She wasn't ready to talk yet. That was fine. He'd just have to find another work around. Namely getting her brother moved to a safe location.

"I'll walk you out." He trailed after her. She nodded at him gratefully.

Neither Kagome nor he spoke as they left the room. Her shoulders were hunched and a shadowy look remained upon her soft features. Okita lifted his palm, dropping it on her head in an affectionate gesture.

"It's alright," He started. "You did good." Okita felt her head dip lower beneath his hand. She'd had a lot of courage to tell them what she did. Being in that house had to be terrifying for her. Doubly so as her brother's safety was also thrown into the mix.

The detective lowered his voice, "I'll do what I can to get you two out of there. So don't go givin' up yet." He gave her hair a brief tousle before letting go. Okita tucked his hands into his pockets, "Remember what I said. You've got a safe place to crash whenever you need. Just let me know."

He thought he heard a small noise of agreement from her.

"Thank you." The words were softly spoken but he'd heard them all the same. A small smile played upon her lips.

No matter what he'd get Kagome out of that house. He'd make damn sure of it.


	13. Crazy Plan

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ This is Not the End by X-Ray Dog

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Thirteen** : Crazy Plan

It was a foolish plan. Kagome knew that. She could've gone to _both_ detectives earlier and given them everything they'd needed. Yet her body began to tremble as her mind raced through every worst case scenario. Souta's very life hung in the balance. If she played her cards wrong then not only would they be stuck with Touga but they could both very easily be erased. It wouldn't take much. She bit into her lower lip.

Still, she didn't like the thought of keeping the detective in the dark. His sincerity had been what egged her on earlier. The man was as honest as they came. Sure he was crass, had bad habits and was far too sharp for his own good. Alas that was part of what made him trustworthy.

Kagome tucked her arms under her legs. If he was willing to risk his very _career_ for her then she'd give him the respect of being honest. He deserved that much from her. Azure eyes slid towards the rain that pelted against the clear-paned windows. All she had to do was give him what he needed and wait. Plus there was one last move she could make. Her hands curled into tight fists between her thighs.

It was desperate. It was foolish. But it was all she had.

Kagome waited in the darkness. Soon the detective would arrive home. When he did, she'd tell him everything.

This was her last chance.

* * *

Okita shrugged his jacket on. It was fucking cold as shit. No matter where he went, all he found was rain and the frigid wind. The man paused as his phone went off. He flipped it open to a short message.

 _Can we talk?_

It was from Kagome. A small smile pulled at his lips. He sent a short reply in response. He had a feeling that she was going to dive further into her relationship to Touga when they meet up. The anger returned in full force. He couldn't stand the thought of that man slipping his hands over her. It disgusted him.

As her step-father was it not his duty to protect her from scum? Yet it appeared that Touga wasn't far from being scum himself.

"Souji," Saito pierced him with a sharp look. "Where are you going? We still have to sort through the information."

Okita waved him off, "Sorry, gotta head to an important meeting. I'll have my phone on me so call if you find anything else out." He grabbed his keys and tucked his New Nambu* into its holster. "Hey Hajime," He called to his partner, "Give it a little time. The kid needs to trust us first."

Saito blinked. His glare sharpened but he nodded at him all the same. The man was onto him; or at least onto the fact that his relationship to Kagome was beginning to change.

Okita slipped out of the station. He held his jacket close to himself as he braced the freezing rain. The trip was a short one, but he found himself drenched and cold by the time he'd returned home.

He entered into the foyer and swiftly locked the door behind him.

"Detective?" A familiar, soft voice called out to him. Okita felt his lips quirk upwards. Looks like his feeling had been right.

"Over here, kid." He called back to her. As before the house was bathed in darkness. She'd been sitting in the night-darkened living room by herself. His heart gave an odd twist in his chest. How long had she been like that?

Kagome came into view. She'd removed much of the make up she'd used to hide her injuries. They still looked bad but at least the bruising was starting to heal over a little.

Okita shrugged out of his rain soaked jacket. Shit, he was completely drenched. Everything was cold and wet.

Kagome made a small noise of surprise, "Detective! You can't stay like that, you'll get sick!" He felt her hands push at his shoulders towards his bedroom. "Shoo! Go shower first! I'll be waiting out here when you're ready."

He shook his head, "I'll live. You said you needed to talk?"

Kagome's expression hardened, "Not with you risking your health!" The girl ran off temporarily. When she came back she'd clutched a towel between her hands. "Now sit." The command caused a laugh to bubble out.

"What are you, my mother?" Okita complied with her wishes—taking a seat at his dining room table. Kagome draped the towel over his head.

"If that's what I have to be to make you take care of yourself, then yes." The young woman's voice was stern. He felt her hands drying his hair with reckless abandon. He probably would've laughed if it hadn't felt so good. His clothes were still damp as shit though.

Her hands worked as a massage against his neck and scalp. He felt his eyes close. This felt nice. The man paused as her arms coiled around his neck. He knew that the action likely had no romantic feeling behind it for her. It was merely a brief show of her gratitude. He felt himself go stiff.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you everything earlier, detective." Kagome spoke beside his ear. "But there's a good reason for it."

His arm twitched.

"I figured as much." His hand brushed against her arm in a reassuring manner. "Take your time."

Her arms fell away, taking the towel with them as they went. Azure eyes observed his clothing still clinging to his body in an awkward fashion.

Her lips pulled upwards, "You should at least change. Then we'll talk."

He smiled back at her, "Sure thing mom."

By the time Okita returned Kagome had made herself comfortable upon his couch. She still looked nervous but at least now she seemed calm enough to speak. He took up the spot beside her.

"Just tell me what you're comfortable with." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a show of comfort. "Don't force yourself."

Kagome took a breath, "I was fourteen when I realized that Touga didn't see me as a step-daughter." Her hands curled into tightly shaking fists upon her lap. "It's hard to explain but there were certain things he'd do that seemed _off_." Her brows furrowed. "For starters he always liked to have an arm around me or have his hands on my shoulders. I originally thought he was just a touchy guy but then I noticed something."

His arm twitched in reflex.

"He never acted the same with mom. In private they never touch one another. They never kiss nor do they even share a room together. They're more akin to roommates than spouses." Azure eyes focused on the floor. "I never knew why they even got together. But when I was fourteen I started dating for the first time."

Okita had a feeling that he knew where this was going. His stomach coiled uncomfortably.

"Touga was highly aggressive towards the boy I was with at the time. He threatened to blacklist his family and virtually threw him out of the house the first time I brought him over. Later that night Touga had told me that I was to never speak to another male the way I did with that boy. It was strange but it made me realize that there was something inherently _wrong_ in the way he viewed me." Kagome twisted her hands in her lap.

"Then there was Takeshi," She started. "I was sixteen when we dated but I'd kept it as subtle as possible. There were a few times when I managed to bring him over to the estate by claiming that he was just a friend." Her eyes shifted to meet his. "Takeshi has always been strong willed, so he never backed away from Touga's threats. I think Touga had also filled Inuyasha's mind with some crap about Takeshi being abusive because he was constantly trying to fight with him."

She gave a heavy sigh, "Eventually we parted on good terms but Takeshi doesn't trust Touga."

Okita silently encouraged her to continue.

"That night, when Inuyasha was killed, I'd told him about Touga and that I was starting to get worried." She bit into her bottom lip. The detective gently pulled her into his chest—allowing her the chance to calm herself before going on. His brows dipped into a slight furrow. Had she always felt this thin and frail?

"He told me not to worry about it and that he'd talk to Touga. I got scared though. What man would willingly admit a sexual attraction to someone who's still a minor?" She took another breath as a violent trembling wracked her body. "Inuyasha did buy me that burner phone though. Touga makes a habit of using GPS trackers in our regular ones. So that was the only way I could get away from him while staying in contact."

He shot her a concerned glance, "Where's your phone now?"

"I gave it to Katsumi. I told Touga that I'd be staying the night there. So long as he sees the location at her house then he won't bother checking in."

He nodded at the explanation. She was a smart kid. There was no denying that she'd been given a shitty lot in life, but here she was still kicking around and doing her best.

Kagome pushed onwards, "That night I followed Inuyasha because I had a feeling that things weren't going to go well. I wanted to be there to call for police in case Touga tried anything." She lowered her head. "Fat lot of good that did."

His arm tightened, "Kid, you're not responsible for other people's actions." The words felt hollow even to himself. How was that supposed to comfort her now that her step-brother was dead?

Kagome spoke in a soft voice, "I did overhear some of the conversation." Her eyes narrowed into thin slits. "Touga is planning to use the coming of age gala as the stage for making his move. He screwed up with Inuyasha's mother by moving to fast. So now he's trying to set the groundwork to make it appear that any 'relationship' we formed would be post age of consent." The trembling grew more fierce.

Okita felt bile rise in the back of his throat. He fucking knew it. Her reluctance, Touga's preference in wives and even Inuyasha's death were all connected. Kagome could never bring this to the police without hard evidence. Touga's money and power would have her slandered and blacklisted before they ever hit the courtroom. Fuck, this was going to be tough.

Her eyes became unfocused, "Inuyasha confronted his father but Touga was stronger. In the end Touga had beaten and strangled his own son to death. I don't know how he erased the evidence; all I know was that by the time I called the cops I knew I couldn't stick around." She clenched her fists, "A man capable of murdering his flesh and blood is more than able doing far worse things. For Souta's sake, I kept silent but the gala is coming up and I think I have a plan to hold him off. It's kinda crazy though."

Okita gave her an encouraging look. Anything would be an option at this point.

She met his gaze fiercely, "I'm going to invite you and Detective Saito to the gala."

He shot her a quick look, "You sure kid? Touga could sniff out a sting if we go about it that way."

She turned towards him, "It won't be a sting, just a fail safe to escape." She held up her hand, "We need more evidence to convict, as such I would still need a way to escape Touga on the night of the gala. If I just came here under the pretense of you hiding me somewhere safe, then you'll be in the clear. You don't have to say where to your colleagues if that'll be an issue but so long as we can pull this off then Touga is bound to make a mistake." Her eyes sharpened, "When he does you guys need to be ready to pounce on it."

It _was_ a crazy plan but a genius one all the same. He threw a sly smirk at her.

"Alright kid, we'll do things your way."

For the first time he saw her truly smile. It was a nice look on her.

"Thank you, Detective."

His grin grew wider, "Enough with the detective thing. Just call me Souji while you're here. It feels weird." He never liked formal titles. They always seemed too stiff.

"Alright… Souji," Her face took on an interesting shade of red. Oh, had that embarrassed her? He fought to keep from laughing. Such a strange thing to get hung up on.

"Now, off to shower!" She practically shoved him off the couch. "Or else you'll get sick!"

That time Okita did laugh, "Fine, _mom_. I'll go now."

The man tucked his hands into his pockets. He needed to talk to Saito. Their jobs just got a whole lot harder. His eyes shifted towards the young woman still curled upon his couch. A peaceful look flitted over her expression. He'd do everything he could to keep it there. She deserved no less from him.

**New Nambu — Otherwise known as the 'New Nambu M60', it's a double action revolver assigned to police officers in Japan. They are rarely used except in extreme cases; usually preferring other methods of deescalating situations.


	14. Questionable

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Stay by Stephen (Feat. Lindsey Cook)

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Fourteen** : Questionable

Okita emerged from the shower. The scent of something savory carried through his home. He blinked, had Kagome decided to make them dinner this time around? Something odd twinged within his chest. How long had it been since someone else had made him food to eat? The man shook the thought from his head. He couldn't be thinking like that. Not right now. Not about Kagome. She was a girl who was relying on him for protection; nothing else. He padded into the kitchen. A faint smile pulled at his lips.

As expected the young woman was standing in front of his stove. A look of concentration overtook her soft features. It was the sort of image that suited her—free from the fear she'd displayed earlier.

Okita slipped beside her, "You makin' something good?"

She cocked her head towards him. The smile that brightened her features was one that he hadn't seen yet. He blinked. Had she always had that slight flush in her face?

"It's not much but I decided to cook us some oden. Oh!" She turned towards him, "I couldn't find any green onions. Did you happen to have any?"

The detective instinctively felt his face blanch. He never stocked them because he knew that he'd never eat the damn things. They were bitter and disgusting in his personal opinion.

Kagome shot him a look, "You know when I searched through your pantry earlier I thought maybe you had a kid that you had shared custody with or something considering all the sweets you've got stashed in there." Her brows furrowed. "Perhaps I was wrong though. You just have the _taste_ of a child."

He cast her a baleful look, "First, I don't have a kid. Second, don't go insulting the man with the power to arrest you."

Her smile turned teasing, "Oh? What would you arrest me for? Teenage sarcasm?"

Okita grinned back. He liked the personality she was starting to display. It fit her better than the sullen mono-syllabic responses she used to give. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Don't test my ability to invent shit, kid. I've been at it a lot longer than you." He leaned against the counter beside her. With his hands tucked into his pockets, his eyes slid over the food she was cooking. It smelled absolutely delicious. His own skills were subpar at best. He just made enough to survive. Outside that he never really cared much. "Looks good." Okita added for extra measure.

Kagome paused. Azure eyes shifted from him back to the food. It was curious that she seemed so out of sort from his simple compliment. His lips quirked upwards. He should compliment her more.

The young woman focused on the task at hand, "Do you feel better now?" Her voice was soft.

Okita gave a casual shrug, "I guess. It was just a shower." His eyes narrowed on her with concern. "The only thing I'm worried about is you, kid." He braced his palms on the edge of his counter. "Let's say your plan works. Do you have a contingency for what'll happen after that night?" He needed to know.

Kagome ducked her head, "Sort of. I planned on staying with Katsumi until I could get my own place. The only problem is Souta." She chewed on her bottom lip.

Okita remained silent as she explained.

Kagome remover the finished dish from the stove, "I don't think the courts are going to be willing to let me take custody of him." Her eyes became unfocused. "Even without Touga in the picture, Souta had been born with a learning disability. The doctors said that he's functioning on a six-year-old mind set." This was the first he was hearing this. His brows furrowed. "I've been taking care of him but he has special needs. If I try to go against Touga in the court they will rule against me because I don't have the means to give him what he needs. Even without Touga in the picture they'd probably just give him back to our mother."

The sharpness in her tone wasn't missed. Okita clenched his fists around the counter's edge. What could he do?

The young woman sighed, "I need to find a way to get him out of there. Right now, that's my number one priority."

The detective had to give the girl credit. Even in this situation the only person she was thinking about was her brother. He lifted his hand and dropped it upon the crown of her head. He gave it a good ruffle.

"You did good." His voice was low. "I'll help out as much as I can."

Kagome brought their food to his table. She took a seat next to him. Her eyes bore into him with an intense curiosity.

"Detective," The young woman started.

"Souji." Okita corrected her. "When you're here it's just Souji."

She nodded, "Souji," He didn't miss the slight flush that darkened her features as she used his given name. His smile widened. It was a nice look on her. "I've been meaning to ask this for a while now." Kagome tipped her head towards him. "But _why_ are you helping me? Any other detective would've just kept me at the station the first night you found me. So why…?"

He interrupted her, "Why am I risking my job for you?" She flushed then nodded in response. Okita had a feeling that she'd ask sooner or later. He just wasn't sure if he was ready to answer that question yet. "It's simple really. I just wanted to." He shot her a coy grin. "Who knows, maybe I just wanted a cute girl to hang out at my place." Okay so _maybe_ that joke went too far. She was still a minor for another week.

Kagome gave him a blank expression, "How have you not been arrested?"

Okita laughed, "Kid, I _am_ the police. I do the arresting."

"You have one very _strange_ sense of humor."

The two fell into a comfortable conversation as they ate. Okita had to admit that her food was better than anything he'd _ever_ made. It reminded him of all the rare, but wonderful times he had spent at the dinner table with his sister Kin. He shook his head. He needed to focus.

"I have to make some final preparations this week so I won't be around as much." Kagome went on to explain. "I was wondering if texting you like I have been might put you in trouble though. This job is your livelihood and I don't want you to risk it for my sake."

The slight pinching of her expression gave way to the fear she felt for him. He couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"It'll be fine, besides I can come up with an excuse if I need to." There was some truth in her words. Hijikata would have his ass if he ever found about his relationship with Kagome. While nothing untoward had occurred, he was still placing their entire case in jeopardy.

Kagome glared at him, "I might just be a kid in your eyes but at least let me help make things easier for you." He took in her fierce expression. Had she always had that ferocity to her? "I want to see this as a partnership. You've done a lot to help me, so at least let me return the favor."

He felt his smile turn soft. Okita leaned his cheek against the curled fist of his hand, "I'm the adult. It's my responsibility to take care of you. All I need from you is to just act like the good girl that you are."

Kagome scowled, "Now that was just patronizing."

A full, throaty laugh erupted.

"Alright, alright!" Okita waved his hands in a placating manner. "I'll see what I can do, but I'm serious about you focusing on yourself." He softened his tone. "You're a good kid. You don't need to be worrying about this shit; so just leave it to me. I am the adult after all."

"That's questionable."

* * *

Okita opened his eyes as his body sank into the cushions of his couch. He sucked a heavy breath through his nose. Kagome was right about one thing: The others were going to get suspicious.

Her fear for him was valid in that sense. Saito was already cautious of the turn his bond with the girl had taken. His eyes shifted towards the ceiling. He'd follow her plan for the night of the gala. After that he had no idea. Maybe if he could get Souta taken into protective custody then they could make a move. Both of the kids would need to be safe.

Kagome sighed. Her shoulder leaned heavily into his side as her cheek pillowed itself against his shoulder. Okita blinked. His eyes shifted towards her sleeping form. When had they fallen asleep?

Her hands curled around the cloth of his shirt. Her legs were tucked under her and set partially upon his lap. They'd sat down for some evening television once dinner was finished. It seemed as if they'd both passed out.

"Let's get you to bed." Okita shifted to lift her. Her arms coiled around him instinctively as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. The detective spoke nothing as he carried her back towards his bedroom. It seemed that she'd been making better use of his bed than he did these days. Okita laid her upon the mattress and brought the sheets up to her neck.

He stepped away, grabbing the spare pillow and blanket as he went. Back to the couch for him. Truth be told he _really_ needed a two bedroom house—not the one bed and one bath he currently had. He hadn't ever had visitors when he bought the house so he never saw the need for an additional bedroom. Okita laid upon the couch once more. He stretched his back out as his eyes shifted towards the ceiling.

First he'd follow along with Kagome's idea. After that he'd need to get Souta out of Touga's house under the ruse of protecting him. Which just left getting enough evidence to convince the fucker. His eyes narrowed into thin slits.

The notion of Touga running his hands over Kagome's body sexually made his stomach churn. Perhaps it was because he saw himself in her; or maybe because he kept envisioning a vulnerable girl begging for help. Regardless the thought played over and over in his mind. Was that what'd happened to Chouhou Minako? Had she been fearful of speaking out due to Touga's power just like Kagome currently was?

His hands curled into tight fists. How many more girls had he victimized? How many more were too afraid to speak out?

Okita turned on his side. To hell with it. He'd talk to the Chouhou girl in the morning with Saito then trace Touga's romantic affairs as far back as he could. There was bound to be a clue somewhere in that history. One way or another he'd throw the piece of shit behind bars—right where he belonged.


	15. Deadline

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening_ : Holy by Pvris

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Fifteen** : Deadline

Kagome woke to the scent of cigarettes and coffee. She burrowed herself deeper within the warmth of the sheets. Why was it always so cold in this house? Was Okita so obsessed with his cigarettes and coffee just to stay warm? Her brows furrowed. Unfortunately she didn't have the skills necessary to fix a heater. How expensive were they again?

Kagome poked her head up as she heard a faint knock on the door.

"Kid, you should probably get around. You've got school today don't you?" Okita started from the other side of the door. "I've got to interview a few people so I won't be back until late tonight."

She sat up. Pulling her hair into a quick ponytail, she stood from the bed and made her way across the floor.

"Detective," She opened the door.

She was met with Okita's playful grin.

"That's Souji while you're here." His eyes narrowed mirthfully. "You're really big on the formal stuff, aren't ya?"

Kagome felt her face heat. She shook her head repeatedly. It wasn't that per say. She just wasn't used to addressing him so casually. It denotes a familiarity she wasn't used to having with other people. She felt her cheeks burn at the thought.

"Oh, are you blushing?"

She wanted to scream.

The young woman turned her head, "Fine, Souji," Her ears began to feel as if they were on fire. "Would you mind if I came back here anyways?"

He leaned against the door frame. Her eyes were inadvertently drawn to the slightly opened collar of his shirt. His clothing was wrinkled and his hair stuck up on all ends. Was he usually such a heavy sleeper? Her gaze feel back down to his partially exposed neckline.

That was enough for her. She _really_ needed to get her head out of the gutter. Especially this early in the morning.

Okita acted as if he hadn't noticed.

"I don't mind kid, but you'll be by yourself." His expression grew concerned. "You sure you're okay with being alone in this cold ass house? You might end up getting sick."

Now he was just teasing her.

Kagome rolled her eyes, "I'll be just fine. I can take care of myself, you know."

His grin turned coy, "Oh really? Because I could've _sworn_ that you were asking me to save you from a _cockroach_ the other day."

Her face flushed, "Did you _see_ that thing? It was a mutant!" She shivered, "It was also charging _straight_ at me. You can't tell me that thing wasn't ready to do battle."

Okita devolved into a fit of laughter. The man clutched at his sides as he struggled to regain his breath.

"Hey!" She poked at his cheeks. "That's rude! Don't laugh at me!"

He laughed even harder.

She steeled her resolve. If he was going to make fun of her then she would just have to retaliate! Kagome leapt forward.

* * *

Okita writhed. He tried to grab at Kagome's wrists however she managed to squirm away from his grasp. The young woman dove to his other side, attacking with much the same vigor.

"The hell!" He could barely manage that without breaking down in a flood of laughter. He moved his hands to guard his more sensitive areas.

"This is payback!" She pressed forward. "It only helps that you're so ticklish."

He quickly writhed away from her grip, "Alright that's enough of that." A wide grin split across his lips at the pout that painted over her features. "There now, I'll be home in time to put you to bed."

"Don't treat me like a little kid!" Her eyes narrowed into thin slits at him.

Okita rolled his shoulders, "When you graduate high school _then_ I'll treat you like an adult." He quickly darted away from her as she reached for him once more. It was a good thing he never let up on his training. Otherwise she would've had him again.

Kagome's brows furrowed with her scowl, "Anybody ever tell you that you're a jerk?"

He grinned, "Nope, they usually just tell me that I'm an asshole for arresting them." He tapped his chin thoughtfully, "Oh and that I don't know who I'm messing with and that I'd be out of a job." He felt his smile turn a hair sharp. "Unfortunately for those bastards I'm still kickin' around and their asses are sitting in a nice, cold jail cell."

She blinked, "You're not a jerk. You're just a sadist." Her voice became scathing, "You really ought to work on that. How're you supposed to make friends or get yourself a girlfriend with an attitude like that?" Kagome shook her head and folded her arms over her chest. "You really are something else, detective."

"That's Souji while you're here." Okita corrected her once more. "And for the record I don't exactly have the time to dedicate to a girlfriend. So I'd call that a win-win situation."

Her expression soured, "So the fact that you work so much that you can't even have a casual relationship is a win to you?" She prodded his cheek with her index finger, "I'm beginning to worry about you."

Okita shrugged, "Hey, you're startin' to sound like my sister. Only just a little less hand wringing."

"Souji," Kagome tried to start.

He quickly threw on his jacket. Stuffing his keys into one pocket, he paused to glance back at her.

"Oh right, I got you a spare the other day." He tossed a small, silver key towards her. Kagome stretched out her hands capturing it between her fingers. "Use it when you need but be careful. That nosy neighbor next door will probably start making assumptions if she catches you."

The young woman nodded firmly, "Thank you. I'll bear that in mind."

He smiled, "I'll be back late tonight. Don't go waiting up for me and get some rest." His eyes lingered upon the dark shadows that haunted her features. "You need it."

With that he was gone.

* * *

Kagome stared down at the key in her palm. Okita was a strange man. He had hundreds of other choices besides opening his home to her. She curled her fingers around the cool metal. She wanted to pay him back for a bit of the kindness he'd shown her. In order to do that she'd first have to hatch a plan.

The young woman pulled the hood over her head. She slipped out the back foot and secured it. Kagome waited for a moment. Her eyes scanned the neighboring house for any signs of life. The stillness gave her the reassurance she needed.

Kagome slipped out of the back gate and into the thin alleyway. Technically she _did_ have school today but there was something she needed to take care of first. She made her way down to the local train line. Swiping her pass, she pushed her way through the crowd.

Thankfully this trip would be a fairly short one. Her eyes narrowed as the train stopped. She took a seat nearest to the door. It'd been a while since she'd last visited with him. Would he be willing to hear her out this time though?

The train powered through to the second stop. She stood up roughly and rushed out of the station. Azure eyes narrowed against the blinding light of the sun. Kagome pulled her jacket further over her face. She couldn't get caught. Not here. Not now.

It didn't take her long to find the Omoikiri Enterprises headquarters. The building towered over everything else. Sun reflected off of the glass-paned windows; blinding all those that stood in its shadow. Her lips pressed into a thin line. Just a little further.

Kagome made her way inside. Just like everything else about the Omoikiri family, the lobby was grand and opulent in décor. Crystal chandeliers hung in the main entry way. The sounds of a rushing fountain filled her ears as the scent of the koi pond hit her nose. Art work whose creators she could not name hung among the empty spaces of the walls.

She hated this place. It represented everything she loathed about the Omoikiri family. Wealth, power and seedy connections. She pushed her way through the crowd; slipping into the faceless mass of people crowded in an elevator. Her eyes scanned the lot numbers. Among them 'forty-seven' blinked back at her.

Good. Right where she needed to go.

The teen kept her head down as the lift steadily ascended. One floor, then another and then another. Until finally only a handful of them remained. Forty-seven flashed and beeped. The doors opened and she quickly slid into the crowd that bottled its hallways. Now where was his office again?

Kagome hardly reacted to the chaos that surrounded her. People were scurrying with papers clutched in their arms and their faces pale. Had something happened? She broached the final door. Unlike his father, he was never showy. Neither in décor nor work. He had no reason to be.

"Name please."

She swiveled to glance at a tiny receptionist's desk. Oh, had she missed that? The woman was short with dark hair and eyes that screamed of boredom.

"Higurashi Kagome. I don't have an appointment." Honesty was the best route. At least that's what she likes to believe.

The secretary's brows pinched together, "If you don't have an appointment…"

Kagome cut her off, "Just ask him. Let him know I'm here. He'll know who I am. Please," She tried pleading with her a little.

The woman shot her a cautious glance then sighed.

She waited with bated breath to see if he'd respond. Last time she came here she hadn't even gotten past the front desk. Hopefully she could go a little further this time.

They both jumped at the sound of a door slamming open.

Golden eyes narrowed into thin slits at her.

Kagome fidgeted nervously, "Sesshoumaru, do you think we can talk?"

Exasperation wrote itself across his features. Or at least as close to exasperation as he'd ever let anyone see.

The man stepped back, allowing her entrance into his office.

"Be quick. I am busy."

Kagome nodded, "Thanks."

Hopefully this would go the way she wanted it to. Her hands curled into tight fists.

She couldn't fail.

* * *

Okita rubbed his temples.

"So you're saying that Chouhou Minako is declining all interview requests?" Great, this was _exactly_ how he wanted to start his day.

Saito sank into the seat beside him, "Unfortunately yes. Her lawyer stated that she has no interest in speaking about Omoikiri nor the incident revolving around his son's death."

They both sighed.

Okita dropped his palm to his knee. Where were they supposed to go from here? Their key witness was in danger. The only woman capable of blowing the lid off of Touga's ass was unwilling to talk. Which just left illegally obtained information at their disposal. What good was knowing the perpetrator if he couldn't slap cuffs on the bastard's wrists?

"Souji," Saito pinned him with a sharp glare. "I looked further into Higurashi Kagome's history." Cobalt eyes narrowed. "Are you certain that there's nothing you want to tell me?"

Okita sucked a breath through his nose. Had he been caught? Well it wasn't like they were doing anything seedy.

"Hajime," Okita began, "What I say here can't leave this room." The man looked as if to protest so he continued. "Look I promise it ain't anything illegal but I'm going to need you're help with this." If they wanted her plan for the night of the gala to work then they would _need_ Saito's support.

His partner was stuck in his ways but that didn't mean that he couldn't see reason when necessary.

"What happened?" Saito pressed. A tiny smile curled at the corner of his lips. That was just like him. Wanting information without tying himself down to a probably impossible promise.

Okita rubbed the back of his neck, "I ran into the kid at the convenience store a little while back. Looked like she been having a rough night at home."

Saito did not interrupt him as he explained.

"Been talking to her to get her to open up. She's got some trust issues but she did confess to who the killer was."

That got his partner's attention. The man sat straight up. His eyes grew sharp as his lips thinned.

He decided not to keep him in the dark, "Apparently it was Inuyasha's father, Omoikiri Touga."

The silence that enveloped them was stifling.

Saito blinked, "Touga? Then why give the hint about wives?"

Okita cast him a wry smile, "Think about it. What kind of women has he been married to before? Izumi sure doesn't match up with his tastes."

Saito's brows furrowed for a moment, then as if the revelation struck him, they shot back up towards his hairline.

"So his real target has been the girl. He's using the mother as an excuse." His partner scratched at his chin thoughtfully.

"That's my guess. Izumi isn't stupid enough to stay with someone like that. She might be an abusive piece of shit to her kids but she's got enough smarts to realize Touga's end goal in all of this." His eyes narrowed. "She's got to have something over him. Something that'll make her valuable. Otherwise he would've just have had her killed like he did Inuyasha."

The thought caused a cold chill to rush through him.

He met his partner's gaze, "Kagome can't make a move so long as her brother is under that roof."

A flash of realization flickered across Saito's expression.

"We've only got a few days before Touga makes his move. In the mean time we'll need to come up with our own plan." A smirk split his lips. He pushed an envelope towards him.

Saito peeled back the flap. He withdrew an ornately decorated card with their names scrawled in neat characters across the front.

His companion paused, "What is this?"

Okita's expression grew serious, "Our deadline."


	16. Shift

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening_ : Paint it Black as performed by Hidden Citizens

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Sixteen** : Shift

Okita observed Saito as he stared down at the invitation warily.

"Explain." The man stated curtly.

He figured that wouldn't have been enough for him. The detective's expression hardened.

"The gala is a celebration of Kagome turning eighteen. Consider it the rich and powerful's version of a coming of age debut." The words sickened him as he spoke. Perhaps this case delved even deeper than just Touga's twisted interest. He gestured towards the date, "That night Touga intends on making his move. Kagome was gracious enough to send us these invites so we could get in legally without having to jump through hoops."

His brows furrowed, "We've only got one chance to get her out before Touga goes after her. If we can pull her out and get Souta under protection then we can go full force into this investigation."

Saito was silent for a long moment. His eyes glared down at the invitation with suspicion.

"We have less than three days." His partner's voice was strained. "How do you propose we come up with a plan in this time frame? Do we even know the layout of the building? What do you suggest should Touga interfere?"

Okita grinned. This was the real reason why he liked working with Saito. The man _always_ asked the questions he never did. His hand dipped into his pocket, his finger running over the edge of his pack of cigarettes. Strangely, he wasn't craving them quite as much anymore but the habit still caused him to withdraw one from his pocket.

"What do you think we've got Heisuke for?" His grin widened at Saito's exasperated look. "Get the kid to give us a floor plan of the place. As for the girl, well I've already got a plan so you don't have to worry about that." He flicked his lighter, waiting until the cherry red flame of the cigarette started to smoke before putting it away. "I need you to observe as much as you can. They'll destroy the kid up on the witness stand. It's much harder to do that to a witness when you're a cop and got a squeaky clean record."

Saito glared even harder.

"I do not agree with this plan." He folded his arms over his chest. "How do you suppose we investigate further once the two are removed from Omoikiri's custody? How exactly do you plan on gathering evidence?"

Okita stiffened. A wave of protectiveness rushed through him.

"What, you want to leave both of those kids right where Touga wants them? Hate to break it to you but she likely won't survive the night." He pulled the cigarette from his lips. Pushing the butt down into the ashtray, he approached his companion. "Do you really think he'd let her live? She'll reject him. She'll distance herself and he knows that she's liable to go public. The bastard killed his own son. Do you think he won't be willing to do the same to her and just pose it as some tragic accident?"

Okita pushed past him, "Whether you agree or not this is the only plan that just might save both of those kids. Right now, our goal is keeping them alive." His eyes hardened.

That was right.

Before anything else, he was an officer of the law. It was his _job_ to protect the citizens of this city. Including Kagome.

The girl's bright smile flashed in his mind.

He didn't want that to be erased. Not by Touga. Not in such a horrifying way. He'd be damned if he ever failed another person.

Okita rose to his full height.

"Saito," He addressed his companion with a stern expression. "Call in Chizuru. We'll need her help with the rest."

He tucked his hands back into his pockets and turned on his heel.

Never again would he look upon the face of someone he'd failed to protect.

He'd make damn sure of it.

* * *

Kagome twisted her hands nervously, "Do do you think you can do it?"

Sesshoumaru appeared as unmoved as ever. His stoic features barely shifted as she explained. She truly had no idea how much of the issues at home he was aware of at this point. It was true that he'd had his own suspicions but he never voiced them directly.

The man was silent for a long moment then he spoke quietly. It was such a soft sound in contrast to his usual baritone.

"Are you sure?"

For the first time she noticed the slight pinch of his expression. It was the closest thing to concern the man had ever given before.

Kagome nodded firmly, "Yes. I want to do what I can. Plus," She gripped her fingers together in a tight fist over her lap. "I have someone I can trust."

His eyes turned sharp, "You mean one of the detectives."

Busted.

She shifted in her seat but nodded again.

"He's helped me out a few times before. That's more than I can say for any other cop." Although she'd rather not delve into _how_ exactly Okita had helped her. They hadn't done anything illicit but her staying the night over at a full grown man's house several times in a row wasn't likely to viewed as a positive thing to anyone else.

Sesshoumaru didn't appear satisfied by that answer. Disproval wrote itself across his body language. From the slight quirk of his brow, the subtle downturn of his lips and even the minute stiffening of his shoulders; everything practically screamed his caution in regards to this new revelation.

The man lowered his arms, "I'll do as you requested. However there will be rules."

Oh boy, she didn't like the sound of that.

Kagome nodded for him to continue.

"After the gala I'll give you the full list. For now, it'd be best if you put some distance between yourself and that detective. In court these sorts of details can always get crossed into something it's not."

She felt her face flame. She knew _exactly_ what he was talking about. Before Kagome could justify or defend their odd bond, Sesshoumaru gracefully strode towards the door.

"I'll contact you later with the details. For now I must return to work." He held it open for her.

She followed after him. She offered a polite bow just before she left.

"Thanks Sesshoumaru, I really appreciate you doing this for us." A small smile pulled at the corner of her lips. "It means a lot."

Now she might've been fooling herself but she could've sworn she spied the slight uptick of his lips.

Her smile widened.

No matter what, she knew that she was no longer alone in this fight. Her fists clenched at her side. The pieces were starting to fall into place. Now all that was left was to see it through to the end.

She sucked a shaky breath through her nose.

Just a little longer.

* * *

By the time Okita returned home it was well past dark. Hell he didn't even think it was still 'today' so much as 'tomorrow'. He slipped inside his home. The lights were off as expected. It sucked but Kagome couldn't risk exposing the fact that someone might be home by leaving the lights on.

His lips dipped downwards. He really needed to move. Preferable out in the sticks. Or at least a place with less nosy neighbors.

He paused as he heard someone shuffle around his kitchen.

"You here, kid?" His eyes squinted against the darkness. He could make out the form of someone standing near the window. They were tall. Too tall. His body went stiff.

 _It wasn't Kagome._

His palm went to his holster. The person remained still. Their eyes were locked into him—as if expecting him to stumble right into them.

"Hands where I can see them!" Okita withdrew his pistol. He pointed the barrel at the area he believed the intruder's heart to be.

The person moved. They darted to the right, attempting to flank his side. Okita shifted in his heel. He avoided the grasp before slamming the butt of the pistol on the back of the man's head.

The stranger groaned. His body fell to the floor in a heap of limbs.

Okita holstered his weapon. He grabbed the intruder's wrists and pushed them behind and up their back.

"Identify yourself!"

His only response was wild thrashing.

He tried to grab the handcuffs still situated upon his belt. The second his hand left the man's arm, he managed to struggle free.

"Get back here!" Okita rushed after him. His eyes narrowed, taking in the jagged scar that trailed from the corner of the man's brow to the tip of his chin. As soon as the stranger darted out of the door and into the night.

"Fuck!" Okita stopped. He couldn't chase him. If he called back up and they found Kagome, how the hell would he explain that? His heart stopped. That's right, where _was_ Kagome? Had she been home when the intruder snuck in? How'd the bastard even get inside.

 _Had he hurt her?_

He rushed back inside.

"Kagome!" He had to find her. He had to know that she was safe.

The scent of stagnant water and death filled his mind. He couldn't let that happen again. Not a second time!

Okita flipped on the lights. His eyes scoured everywhere he could. She was in the living room, nor the kitchen. He ran towards his bedroom. Had she hidden herself somewhere in there? In his panic he threw open the door. The walls shuttered as light flooded into the room. She wasn't in the bed either. He travelled towards the closet. He flung the doors open only to reveal the neatly organized laundry she'd done for him the other day.

Okita swallowed thickly. The bastard ran out by himself. Which meant that either Kagome was still in his house or she hadn't come over at all. His fist tightened into a white-knuckle grip.

He had never believed in god or any sort of mythical being that reigned over their heads. However in that moment he felt like praying to whatever deity could hear him. All he wanted was for her to be safe.

Okita approached the bathroom. Besides the garage this was one of the last places to check. He took the handle and twisted. The door creaked with an ominous squeal as he pushed it inwards. His fingers flipped on the light.

There, in the center of the bathtub he found her. Kagome was pale—paper than anytime he'd seen her before. She had her legs tucked close to her chest and her arms folded beneath her knees. Her expression was a picture of terror. He gave a sigh of relief. She was alive.

Okita stepped close to her, "Come on, its safe. The guy's gone now." He opened his arms to her.

The young woman struggled to stand on her feet. As soon as she stood halfway up, her knee bent and she tumbled. Okita shot forward. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her over the ledge of the tub and into his chest.

"It's fine. You're safe." He kept repeated the words over and over again. At that point he no longer knew if he was trying to reassure her or himself.

Kagome sank into him. Her body heaved with each violent sob that shook her tiny frame. He slid one arm beneath her legs, lifting her up into the air.

Okita spoke nothing as he carried her to the bed. He felt her hug his neck tightly. She trembled and curled her legs together in terror. Gods above, just what exactly had she gone through before he'd gotten home. He sat on the mattress, pulling her onto his lap as he did so. He didn't give damn about any image they may have made at that moment.

He curled one arm about her waist as his other hand tangled in her hair. He gently pushed her head into his shoulder.

"I'm here, you're safe." He said the words over again.

Kagome sobbed even louder.

"Souji," She stuttered through shuddering breaths. "Who was that?"

His eyes narrowed, "I don't know but I'll find out." He pulled her further into his embrace. "Will you trust me?"

He needed her trust more than anything right now. He needed her to have faith him—to believe that he could do as he'd promised. Without that much then everything else would fall apart.

Kagome shivered, "I heard him earlier." She explained as her sons began to quiet down. "I just came home but then I heard someone in the garage." She froze. Her whole body trembled again as the memory held her hostage to its terror.

Okita could do nothing but hold her close to him.

"Shh, take your time." He tucked her head under his chin. He could get the full story from her later if need be. He didn't want her overexerting herself.

The young woman took a breath. Her fingers clutched at his shirt in a tight fist. Even like this he could feel her shaking.

Kagome lifted her head to meet his eyes.

"I don't know how they got in but they came in through the garage door. It wasn't locked. I knew it wasn't you because you said you'd be late." Her arms locked more securely around his neck. "So I snuck into the bathroom and kept all the lights off. You came home almost as soon as I got in there though."

Okita furrowed his brows.

"Did the guy say anything? Grumble to himself or took a phone call?"

She shook her head, "No it was completely quiet until I heard you yelling at him." She shivered. "He didn't try going through anything either. Everything was just… _silent_."

A cold chill shot through him. If robbery wasn't the motive then what was? Could Touga have realized that he'd figured him out? Or could it be…? His gaze dropped to the shivering woman in his arms. If Touga knew that Kagome was here then why wouldn't he come for her himself? Why send someone else?

A sharp feeling of protectiveness rushed through him. The only conclusion he could come to was the fact that the man was _not_ there for Kagome. He'd been there for _him_.

Now that was a thought.

Touga would have the full list of names for this weekend's gala. If that was the case then he could've put a hit out on them to prevent them from digging further.

It was a bold but stupid move. Neither he not Saito were amateurs. Plus _both_ detectives being targeted would raise a few flags. Granted he wasn't sure if Saito had been attacked or not. The man had planned on spending the rest of the night at the station so he was unlikely to find out until tomorrow morning.

Okita scowled. He couldn't call him either. Doing so would expose both himself and Kagome. The detective silently apologized to his partner. For now, he'd wait to see what would happen. He had someone else that needed him more at the moment.

"Come on, try to get some sleep." Okita attempted to have her lay upon the bed. What he got instead were a pair of arms wrapping around him like a vice. Her nails dug into his shoulder blades as she buried her face into his neck.

"… Scared."

He should've known. She'd already seen one murder. She was likely terrified to witness or be apart of another.

Okita tightened his grip on her. He laid upon his side and pulled her with him.

"I'll stay right here." A tiny smile pulled at his lips. "Just for tonight though. I can't go spoilin' you."

That got a brief snort of laughter from her.

"I wouldn't call this spoiling."

He hushed her; tugging her back into his chest.

"Sleep. I'm not going anywhere."

Kagome shivered but soon her breathing began to even out. Okita closed his eyes. He was pushing this boundary entirely too far. He couldn't keep getting close to her like this.

His fingers twitched. Sooner rather than later they would have to put distance between them. They couldn't have the investigation go belly up because of this. The detective pressed his cheek against the crown of her head.

He was in too deep.


	17. Worth

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ A New Hope by Broken Iris

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Seventeen** : Worth

Kagome woke to the feeling of warmth and a sense of security. She blinked hazily as the sleep left her gaze. It was surprising that she even managed to get _any_ sleep last night. The terror had been so relentless.

She squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to think about it. Not now.

Okita stirred. She felt his arms tighten around her as he lifted his head to meet her eyes.

"You sleep well?" His voice was groggy and his eyes were still half-lidded. It was a new side to him that she hadn't seen before.

Kagome burrowed herself deeper in his embrace, "It was good enough." The fear she felt before began to fade away. Here, it felt _safe_. She sighed through her nose.

Okita cupped her chin between his index finger and thumb. He tipped her head so as to meet her eyes directly.

"They weren't after you." His voice was stern. "You weren't their target so I don't want you blaming yourself for that."

She chewed on her bottom lip, "How're you so sure?" Because it certainly seemed that way to her. Wherever she went danger always seemed to follow her. First with Inuyasha and now with Okita. She didn't want to lose anyone else. Not again.

The man held her gaze firmly, "I'm a cop. I wouldn't have made it this far in my career if I couldn't figure out that much." A smile pulled the corner of his lips upwards. "Besides, even if they _were_ after you that wouldn't change a damn thing." She felt him pull her back into his chest once more. "I made a promise, kid. I'd be a pretty shitty cop if I went back on it now just because of this."

Her eyes burned. She buried her face into his shirt as she stifled her tears.

"It's okay to cry, you know." Okita nudged her head under his chin. "You don't have to pretend. Not while you're here."

With that, the dam broke.

* * *

Okita could do nothing but hold the young woman as she sobbed. She'd spent her entire life bottling up her emotions. Whether it was to avoid Izumi's wrath or to protect her brother from Touga's sinister schemes; she never seemed able to truly be herself.

He closed his eyes. He was done allowing others the chance to corner her. His job aside, this case had gotten personal. Kagome was a good person in dire need of help. She'd managed to trust him in spite of all the failures beforehand. If she was willing to place such deep faith in him, then he would not become yet another authority figure that abandoned her to the fate that Touga had in store for her.

His stomach twisted at the thought. The bastard was playing a twisted game. Taking in a vulnerable child and grooming her as a replacement for his wife. He didn't even want to think about the things he _might've_ tried to pull if Inuyasha hadn't been there for her.

He pressed the pad of his thumb at the space behind her ear. Gently, he rubbed at the flesh there; soothing her as her sobs slowly began to quiet.

Kagome lifted her head, "I'm sorry."

He smiled, "For what?"

That time he spied a dark flush across her features.

"… I got your shirt wet."

That time Okita laughed. He sat up, pulling her along with him.

"It's fine. Besides, it's not like I don't have more I can change into." He kept his arms locked securely around her waist. For some reason, it was difficult for him to let go.

He felt her hands brace themselves upon his shoulders.

"Still, I'm sorry." She couldn't meet his eyes. The young woman kept her gaze turned downwards.

Okita cupped her chin once more. Gently, he pushed up to encourage her to look at him.

"Stop apologizing. Just let me handle things from here. Think you can do that?"

Kagome was silent for a long moment. Then she nodded softly.

His brows furrowed, "I didn't hear you. Where's my answer?" He kept his tone soft as to not make her uncomfortable.

"Okay." She finally whispered. Just as quickly as she said it, her head dropped and her ears turned a bright shade of pink. "Um, Souji, this is kind of…"

He paused. His eyes surveyed their position. His arms were still wrapped around her waist while one of her legs managed to ride up on his lap. They'd both would have a hard time explaining themselves if anyone walked in on them. His lips pulled into a confident smirk.

"Alright kid, here," He let go of her; gently allowing her the chance to sit on her own without his interference. "I'll go check in with Saito to see how things are going with him. In the mean time you should probably take a shower." His smirk grew wider as her face flushed a deep shade of scarlet. He'd noticed it last night but her shirt and jeans were covered in dirt. She'd probably hadn't had the chance to take a good shower since earlier that week. He felt a twinge if concern at the thought.

"Your clothes are pretty dirty. I'll wash them while you shower. You can borrow some of mine until they're done." It was the least he could do. He'd practically moved her into his house so it'd stand to reason that he'd have to offer her something in return. He couldn't just turn a blind eye.

Kagome waved her hands frantically, "Oh no, I couldn't! Besides people might misunderstand if someone were to drop by."

Okita smiled. That was true. It was a rather inappropriate suggestion, however he didn't have any ulterior motives. So he'd just take the risk. It wouldn't do to let the kid stew in dirty clothing and not offer anything to help.

"Ah it's fine. No one comes here anyways." He stood to his feet. Okita made his way over towards his closet, pulling out an old pair of shirt and sweatpants he used to wear for nightclothes. "Here, use that for now. Just leave the dirty ones outside the bathroom. I'll grab them while you shower."

She blushed even harder. It was rather cute how flustered she got. Especially over something so insignificant.

The man rolled his shoulders, "I'll close the door. Just open it when you're changed." He paused just as his hand grasped the handle of the door. "Also I've already got a towel and some other stuff you can use in there. Help yourself as much as you need." His lips curled upwards. "It's not like I've got anyone who'd get jealous anyways." Maybe that joke went a little too far.

Kagome didn't mention anything about it. She simply nodded once then waited until he exited. Okita sighed. He really was getting in too deep. His fingers curled inward towards his palm. Eventually he'd have to cut ties with her, but for now he'd do what he could to protect her.

That was all he could do.

* * *

Kagome blushed as Okita's clothes fell over her. It was like swimming in a sea of fabric. His scent was overpowering as she slid her arms through the sleeves of his shirt. The hem fell past her mid thigh while his pants hung low on her hips. It would've been comical if she weren't so embarrassed.

The young woman opened the door, pushing her clothes out just far enough for him to notice. She quickly shut it once more. It felt more embarrassing letting him see her like this.

Kagome slipped into the bathroom. She locked it behind her before turning on the water. Okita hadn't lied when he said that he had other things he could use. Lined up along the ledge was a short array of a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner mix along with a generic body wash. It seemed as if he rarely came home to take care of himself. His house was slim on decorations _and_ products besides food. His pantry was always stocked to the brim.

She gave a sigh of relief as the hot water began to rush over her. It'd been entirely too long since the last time she was truly able to enjoy a hot shower. Each and every time she'd try at the estate a shadow would fall over the crack between the doorway and the floor. A haunting image of what laid just beyond—waiting for the opportunity to strike. Her lips turned downwards. Thank goodness the doors could be bolted.

This home was the only place that ever truly felt _safe_. Since the first night Okita had taken her back, it were as if she'd been given a private area where she could truly let down her guard. He wasn't the sort of man who'd ever take advantage of her. He had his own set of morals, questionable though they may be, and abided by them no matter what situation he found himself in. Okita had never once made her feel as if she were some sort of piece of meat meant only for sexual pleasure. That was more than what she could say for both her mother and 'stepfather'. In reality, those two were more akin to the beasts that roamed every parents' worst nightmares.

Kagome tipped her head towards the ceiling; allowing the soap to rinse out of her hair. Conversely Okita's kindness had become a necessity to her. She found herself relying on him in ways she never thought she would. Her fingers flexed at her side. He'd been the first to ever lower her defenses. He was also the only person she found herself trusting. She couldn't rely on the police but if it was Okita, then perhaps she could take the chance to put her faith in him instead. After all, he was the one risking everything for her. His career, his reputation, now even his life was in danger.

Her face fell at the thought. Truly, what good did she ever manage to bring? The only reason why she hung on for so long was because Souta desperately needed her. What value did her life bring into this world anyways? Only death and despair followed her. Nothing else. Now she'd dragged an innocent into her problems. Kagome sank onto her haunches. She folded her arms under her knees as she fought against the tears that threatened to fall.

She was worthless.

* * *

Okita hung up the phone. As expected, Saito hadn't even gone home the previous night thus it was impossible to ascertain whether or not a trap had been laid for him as well. He'd quickly given an excuse for his query before ending the call. It was strange. How _exactly_ did Touga think offing him was going to go? If he'd plotted to take both himself and Saito out then it'd raise questions that not even the man himself could cover up.

His lips dipped downwards. This sort of move was _sloppy_. It wasn't the work of someone who was in control. Rather it appeared as if Touga were panicking. Could he have figured out the fact that he knew the truth about him? It seemed likely but not entirely. There was something else at play.

Okita glanced at the clock. Kagome had been in the shower for close to an hour now. It didn't bother him but something nagged at his consciousness.

The detective padded towards his bedroom. The door was shut but he could still hear the faint stream of the water going in his bathroom. He sucked a breath through his nose. Twisting the knob, he pushed inward. As expected she was still in the shower. The door was shut tight. His instincts kicked into overdrive.

It was too damn quiet.

He rapped at the door.

"Kid, you alright?" His voice carried the cautiousness that he felt. Silence met his call. An odd feeling nagged at him. Something was _off_. He couldn't say what exactly, but there was something strange about the silence that filled his house. "Kagome," He tried calling out her name. "Hey, it's fine if you're not ready to come out but I need you to talk to me." He refused to step away from the door. He wouldn't walk away from her. Not now. Not after promising so much. He couldn't do it.

"Souji," Her voice was quiet. It was good progress given how silent she'd been beforehand.

Okita pushed forward, "I may suck at giving comfort but I can listen if you need." Which was true. About the only thing he was ever good at was listening. He was useless when people needed him the most. His fist tightened. The same scent of death and stagnant water rose in his mind once more. Bile filled the back of his throat. Not again. Not with her. Not ever again.

"I'm sorry." A sob wracked her body as he heard her sink further into the tub. Even through the door he could catch every subtle cry that caused her voice to tremble. "I'm so sorry. It's my fault. This is my fault."

His shoulders slumped. He should've known. The kid was surprisingly sensitive. She had a habit of putting her brother before anyone else. Now it seemed as if she were doing the same again; only with him this time.

Okita smiled warmly, "Kid, you know how many times I've had people try to kill me?"

Unfortunately his words made her cry even harder.

He cringed at the loud sob.

"That, ah, came out weird." Okita sighed to himself. "What I'm getting at is that I can handle myself. Part of being a cop is facing down bastards like the guy from last night." He paused momentarily before continuing, "And Touga. This job is tough but I didn't go into it expectin' sunshine and rainbows. It takes strength and at the very least I'm good at that."

He heard the water cut off. Was she getting out?

The man pressed forward, "It's not your fault kid. Because they still would've had me pegged anyways. It's my job to drag the bastards to justice. If they're trying to take me out then that means that I'm on the right track." His lips quirked upwards. "The rest is just a bonus."

The door clicked as she unlocked and opened it. Kagome emerged with red rimmed eyes and a plaintive glare.

"You should really watch what you say. That sounded a bit…" Her voice trailed off.

Okita gave a snort of laughter, "Risqué?" He opened his arms and pulled her back into his chest. "Don't worry kid. I've got more self control than you think." He tucked her head under his chin in an affectionate gesture. "I just need you to trust me for now. I'll get you _and_ your brother out of that house. In the meantime you can stay here."

He reached into his pocket to withdraw an old cellphone.

Okita passed it into her palm, "Here. That's an old burner phone I used to use while out in the field. The service sucks ass but at least you'll be able to contact me whenever you need."

Kagome looked between him and the phone, "Is this really okay? I mean I shouldn't even be here. I don't want you to keep risking your job. What happens if your partner finds out I've been staying here?" Her voice rose several notches with her fear. "Even if we tell the truth everyone will think that we're, well, _you know_ …" Her face turned a deep shade of scarlet.

Okita could stop the laugh even if he wanted to.

"Having sex?" He finished the sentence for her. She stiffened but nodded all the same.

"It's fine, I'll take care of it if things come to that." He pressed his palm to the back of her head in a show of comfort. "Just rely on me like you have been. It's my job to protect you, you know."

That was a partial lie. He knew it the moment the words left his mouth. This was not just about his duty as an officer. This was something much more. He'd seen too much of his own history repeating in her. More than anything, he wanted to save her from the awful hunger and homelessness he had to deal with at her age. His arms tightened around her.

His feelings were still mixed about the whole issue but he knew one thing for certain.

Okita lowered his voice, "I'm staying right here."

Kagome sighed. He felt her arms wrap around his waist as she buried her face into the crook of his neck.

"I'm holding you to that."

His smile grew wider.

Okita knew that regardless of what happened, he couldn't just walk away from her.

He held her closer, "I'm fine with that."


	18. Happy Birthday

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening_ : Papercut by Zedd (Feat. Troye Sivan)

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Eighteen** : Happy Birthday

Okita settled comfortably atop his bed. The sheets pooled around his waist as he flipped through more information. There had to be _something_ in these files. Beside him, Kagome gave a soft sigh as she buried herself deeper in the sheets.

His expression softened at the sight. She'd been spending more and more time at his house. While he worked she'd return to his home and prepare dinner for them both. It was a strange feeling but not at all unpleasant. Before he used to dread coming home. The place was cold and devoid of life. Now he was eager to get back. Only because he knew someone would be waiting for him.

Okita pulled the covers back up to her neck. Tomorrow was the gala. Kagome hadn't felt comfortable staying under the same roof as Touga. So she sent her brother off to the Yamada's while she returned back here. He hadn't been all that surprised to find her curled up on the bed. It was starting to become their routine by this point. Granted it was probably _not_ a good idea for them to be sleeping next to each other. However Kagome was adamant about staying near him. She'd confessed that the only way she felt safe was when he was next to her.

He pushed the files aside. He'd contemplate on it a little later. For now it'd be best if he got some sleep as well.

"Souji?" The young woman stirred as he settled into his spot closest to the door.

"Hm?" He cocked his head towards her.

Kagome stretched her hand towards his. He opened his palm to interlace their fingers together. This was also becoming a habit for them. The man smiled at her exhausted expression

"Get to sleep, kid. I'm right here." Sometimes she just needed to know that he'd be right next to her. It was a childlike response in many ways but he didn't mind. It felt nice to know that _someone_ needed him.

Okita quickly shook the thought from his mind. He leaned over, shut off the lamp then laid upon his back. Kagome rolled towards him. She pillowed her head upon his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her in response. Her hands curled in towards her palms as she rested them upon his chest. This was also par the course for them.

Okita tangled his fingers into her hair, massaging the flesh there as she drifted off to sleep. He was crossing so many boundaries right now that he was certain that he'd be labeled the same as Touga if anyone ever found out. His lips dipped downwards at the thought.

All he wanted to do was help her. Yet it seemed as if things were spiraling out of control. He buried his nose in the crown of her head.

Tomorrow he'd have to work quickly. He would not give Touga the opportunity to strike.

His eyes closed. He had to move fast. So for now, he'd get as much sleep as he could.

Okita sighed as he drifted off.

He could not fail.

* * *

Kagome woke to the scent of eggs being cooked. She could hear the slight sizzle and pop of them being heated over stove top. Had Okita gotten up early?

She made her way out to the kitchen.

"Souji?" Her eyes settled on his form. He was still in the loose clothing from last night which meant that he hadn't been up for long.

The detective cocked his head over his shoulder, "Rise and shine sleepin' beauty. Got food goin' for us."

Kagome nodded. She stood next to him and watched as he focused on the meal.

"You sleep well?" Okita's voice was light; a far cry from the anxiety she felt.

The young woman nodded again, "Yeah, pretty well at least." Her eyes dropped to the eggs. "What're you making?"

He smirked, "Secret. You go sit by the couch or something and relax. I've got this."

She gave him a cautious glare, "You sure about that?" The scent of something burning hit their noses.

"Shit," Okita cursed under his breath. He gently pushed her shoulder towards the living room. "Shoo, I'll fix things up here."

Kagome reluctantly obliged. She sank into the couch and set the television on low. She could hear the faint grumbling of her companion. Should she keep an eye on him to be safe? He wasn't an awful cook but he wasn't exactly great at _not_ hurting himself in the kitchen. He'd managed to burn himself on the range several times now.

Her lips dipped downwards at the thought.

"Okay kid, it's ready." Okita cut the heat to the stove. A smile lit across his lips. "I've got to head into the station and talk to my partner but we can at least eat first."

She took at seat at the table. He set a plate in front of her before taking up his usual spot.

"Happy birthday, kid." He grinned over at her. "I figured shit's gonna get real messy later so I thought it'd be better to do something now."

She blinked, "Souji…" her words were lost.

The man grinned even wider, "What? Did you think I'd forget? It's a pretty big deal, you know." He gave a short snort of laughter. "Sorry I couldn't get you an _actual_ present but I thought this would be good enough for now." His voice softened. "You just let me handle everything else tonight." A leathery palm covered her hand. It practically dwarfed her own. "Trust me, do you think you can do that?"

Kagome smiled, "Yeah. I can."

* * *

Okita pressed a cigarette between his lips. He flicked the lighter before pausing. Damn it, he couldn't focus. Not even smoking could ease his mind.

The man huffed. He slid the cigarette back into the carton before making his way inside the station. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't get the image of Kagome's smiling face. It flashed over and over again on repeat. He sighed through his nose. Even separated like this, he just couldn't get away from her.

A smile pulled at the corner of his lips. Oh well, it wasn't like he minded all that much either.

"Souji," Saito approached him. His partner's face was stern—indicating the seriousness he felt.

"Yeah I get it." He tucked his hands into his pockets. "Hijikata feel like joining this one?"

Saito shook his head, "No. He stated that since we were the only ones to receive an official invite then we will have to see this through on our own." The other male paused. His expression became strained, "About the plan, are you certain that it will work? There are many issues. The least of which is where she'll be taken afterwards."

Okita waved his hand in a placating matter, "I've got that part sorted out so don't worry. Besides," He pulled up the digital floor plan of the building on his phone. Heisuke had sent it to them as a PDF but it was difficult to make out. The text was scrunched together and he was sure parts were missing or cropped out. "We've got enough here to make an escape plan. I just need you to keep the bastard busy for a while. As soon as she's escorted safely out of the building I'll message you."

He put his phone away, "She mentioned that there's a shit ton of speeches and what not that go into this thing. So we'll wait until those are finished before we make our move."

Saito narrowed his eyes, "What of the brother?"

He shot him a sly glance, "Apparently Kagome took it upon herself to take care of that issue on her own. She told me that she found someone she could trust to watch him." She hadn't told him who either. Just that it was someone she could put her faith in. The notion nagged at him a bit. The Yamada's wouldn't be able to keep the kid from Touga even if they tried. So who did that leave? He couldn't deny the slight twinge in his gut at the thought.

"Souji," Saito interrupted his train of thought. "We should take time to prepare. The even will begin in four hours."

"Yeah yeah, I hear you." Okita threw a parting wave over his shoulder. "See you at the gala tonight." He strolled out of the station. The detective shoved his hands back into his pockets. The image of Kagome's smile flashed in his mind. Just as quickly it was replaced with that of her laid bare and vulnerable beneath Touga. His hands curled into white-knuckled fists.

Okita stopped as his phone vibrated. He withdrew it to find her contact flashing across the screen. She was using the burner phone he'd given her. His expression softened.

"What's up, kid?" He leaned against the wall of the station outside. He'd hardly taken three steps before she'd called him.

"Souji, where do you want me to meet you?" Her voice had a nervous trill to it. Not that he could blame her. Kagome continued, "I looked at the guest list and Touga added _a lot_ of people. It'll be too crowded to find each other by sight alone."

Okita relaxed his stance, "Meet me near the entrance once your intro is finished. I'll stick by you for tonight." He took out his cigarette and lit it up. "Did you remember to drop off your overnight stuff?" He purposefully kept his question vague. Hijikata would have him thrown in jail if he knew what they were currently planning.

His lips dipped downwards at the thought. Then again, Kagome wasn't exactly a minor as of today. At least not in the traditional sense of the word. He shook the thought as quickly as it came.

"Yeah, I left it at your place this morning. So far Touga's been busy so he hasn't noticed." She took a short breath. "Shit, I've got to go. Apparently I'm running late to an appointment."

Okita stifled a laugh as she gave a heavy sigh.

"Not a fan of dresses and heels?" He smirked.

Kagome snorted on the other end, "Give me shorts and converse _then_ I'll be happy. I'm halfway convinced that heels were only invented as a form of torture for disobedient wives."

That time he didn't hold back, "Damn you really do hate this stuff." His smile widened, "Anyways I'll find you tonight. Just stick near the entrance and don't leave my side when I get there."

"Alright," The young woman took another breath on the other end of the line. "And Souji?"

"Hm?" He gave a sound of acknowledgement.

"Thanks."

The line went dead as she hung up. He was left to stare at his phone for a long moment. Thanks, huh? Not like he had much of a choice in the matter. He was too damn stubborn to throw in the towel. Not when he was so damn close to blowing the case wide open.

Okita closed his phone. He tucked it back into his pocket before pushing off the side of the wall.

He'd think about the rest later. Right now, he had a gala to prepare for.

Okita felt his expression fall at the thought. Like Kagome, he hated all the formal clothes too.

His hand instinctively pulled at his collar.

He just hoped that, that would be the only problem they would encounter tonight. He had entirely too much riding on this night. Kagome's trust being the most important of all. His brows furrowed. More than anything else, he wanted to save her.


	19. The Gala

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Mirage by Lindsey Stirling (Feat. Raja Kumari)

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Nineteen** : The Gala

Okita shifted on his heel uncomfortably. He forgot how damn stifling tuxedos could be. He'd rented one a few days ago but it virtually choked his neck.

The detective tugged at the cuffs on his sleeves. To hell with this shit. If the time ever came where he got married, he'd just show up at a courthouse in sweatpants and a wife beater. Screw all this formal shit.

Okita paused as he came to the front entrance of the ballroom.

"Name?" A young woman dressed in a black pantsuit hardly looked up from her clipboard at him. The security guard beside her eyed him warily.

He withdrew the invitation, "Okita Souji. I was invited on behalf of Higurashi Kagome."

The woman scanned the list. She took a pen and drew an even line across his name.

"Found you, go on in. The main festivities will begin in thirty minutes. A refresher's bar will be available until that time." She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, "Next!"

Okita shoved his hands back into his pockets. He passed under the grand archway of marble and stone. They'd decided on a venue with a western flair to it. The décor was opulent and carried a sense of superiority to it. From the elegant floral arrangements to the smartly dressed guests. There was no way in hell Kagome would've ever picked this place on her own.

His lips thinned at the thought. Thirty minutes, huh? That wasn't a lot of time to get settled in.

"Souji?" He heard his partner's voice through the radio in his ear.

"I'm inside. It'll be a bit before the kid goes on stage." He leaned against a thick column near the entrance. "I'm going to observe things from here. You go mingle with everybody else and see what you can dig up. Chances are Chouhou Minako and a few others will show their faces tonight."

"Understood. I leave the girl's safety to you." With that the radio cut to silence.

His eyes focused on the stage. It wouldn't be long now.

Okita hardly blinked before the lights dimmed and Touga took to the raised platform in front of the dance floor. The man was dressed to the nines. He oozed an aura of confidence as he addressed the guests below.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen!" He flashed a bright smile. "I would like to thank you all for coming tonight to celebrate a very important milestone for someone precious to me."

Okita felt his neck begin to burn with the fury he felt. Precious? Celebrate? The only kind of celebration tonight would be the one he'd have by wrapping his hands around that bastard's neck and wringing the life out of him.

"It's been a long and heartbreaking year. After Inuyasha's untimely loss," Okita nearly snorted at the phrase Touga used. "I feel that our family has grown closer than ever before. So now I present to you my stepdaughter, Kagome. For tonight she'll make her first step into adulthood. Please rise as we bring in this night with the first dance."

Okita could hardly stomach to watch. His eyes were drawn to Kagome's form. He stopped for a moment. Was that really her? Clad in a light blue dress with a lace overlay, it hugged every curve of her body like a second layer of skin. She shifted uncomfortably as Touga placed his hands upon her waist. He felt a second rush of fury.

He knew that the fucker was only doing this as a means of seducing her. Unfortunately for him, Kagome was not so easily swayed. The young woman kept as much distance as she could between them. Every turn, every step, every little moment was made at an arm's length away at all times. The string of violins grew more frantic in their pitch as she was swung from one end of the platform to the other.

His fists began to shake. He had to keep his cool. He couldn't lose his temper. She needed him right now.

Okita took several breaths to calm himself.

The song finished and Kagome quickly scrambled away from Touga. She took the microphone from him.

"Thank you all for supporting me tonight, now it's time for the real fun to begin." She stepped down with her stepfather hot on her heels. A slow smirk pulled across his lips.

That wasn't a message to the crowd but to _him_.

"I'm going in." Okita radioed to his partner.

Now the real plan would start.

* * *

Kagome fidgeted nervously. She tugged at the strap of her purse. Some of the "helpful attendants" had shoved it into her hands and forced her to keep it with her. Her expression darkened. It wasn't like she wanted to do this in the first place. They didn't even have the decency to give her a shawl either.

The young woman froze as she felt a heavy hand clasp her shoulder. She knew that hand as if it were her own.

"You ready?" Touga pressed his mouth against the shell of her ear. She shuddered, ducking away from the heat of his breath. The hand upon her shoulder tightened; holding her in place and preventing her from leaving his side. Her eyes narrowed into thin slits.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She swiped her hand over his, forcibly knocking it off of her. "I can go in there on my own. I don't need you pawing at me."

So maybe her anxiety was making her more aggressive than usual. She stormed off and into the crowd. Kagome didn't bother mingling with her stepfather's associates. She charged past the near faceless crowd of people until she reached the front entrance. Where was Okita? Shouldn't he have been here by now? A wave of panic caused her throat to partially close. A sickening feeling of bile rose at the back of her mouth. Where was he?

Azure eyes scanned the masses that surrounded her.

"Kid!" She whirled at the familiar sound of his voice. "Over here!" Okita waved her down. Kagome made her way over to him. She circled his arms around his middle briefly before pulling back.

"You're late." Although the words were scolding, she couldn't help the smile even if she wanted to.

Okita grinned back at her, "You know what they say about being fashionably late." He took her hand in his. "Besides, I wanted to get a good look at the crowd." She noticed the serious edge his voice took on.

She swallowed thickly, "You think more people are involved?"

Okita grew silent, as if contemplating what to tell her. The man stiffened suddenly as the warmth of his hand fell away. She blinked, then followed the line of his gaze. Just across the dance floor was Touga. His face was a picture of mottled fury.

Kagome froze. Had he seen them?

"Hey, follow my lead." He coiled an arm around her waist.

A bright flush warmed her face.

"Souji what are…?" Her question was interrupted by the smooth gliding of his feet.

"What does it look like?" His palm gripped her hip while the other took hold of her own hand. "I didn't get you a present but perhaps this would work better."

He spun her around as the music picked up on pace. Catching on, she leaned into his embrace. His arms tightened as he led them through a series of movements. She couldn't quite place her finger on the style but the steps were vaguely familiar to her.

"Do you trust me?" His hand slide from her hip over her thigh. She threw her head back against his shoulder.

"Yes," Kagome sucked a breath through her lips as his body pressed against her back. Had he always been that muscular? Okita spun her once more so that she was pulled flush against his chest. She splayed her palms over him. The young woman felt herself being lowered. She abided by his silent request. Her body dipped back onto the full support of his arm. She locked her own around his neck.

His free hand travelled to the underside of her thigh. Okita pushes up, hoisting it towards his hip.

They both paused. Her eyes met his. In an instant they both froze. His lips were just a breath away from hers. Kagome felt his arms tighten as he righted them. The song closed and she found herself still wrapped up in his embrace.

"Souji," She tried to speak.

Okita pressed his index finger to her lips.

"Shhh," A warm smile spread over his features. "We'll talk later. Right now, we've got a mission to fulfill."

The fire behind his eyes caused her blush to deepen.

"Okay."

* * *

He had no damn clue what'd gotten into him. The second he'd spotted Touga staring at them, something _snapped_. His goal was a simple one: Get the girl out safely. Yet at some point he _wanted_ to piss off Touga. He wanted to get under the bastard's skin.

His grip grew tight over Kagome's hand.

"Is there anything else that you have to take care of?" Okita lowered his voice. He pushed them towards the thick of the crowd, leaving Touga behind them.

The plan wouldn't work if the crowd realized that she was missing. They'd have to be sly about their exit.

Kagome thought for a moment, "In about an hour there'll be a toast. Once that's done then it should be safe to leave."

Okita nodded. He took her towards a quiet area at the opposite end of the venue. The live orchestra slowed their music. His eyes narrowed as he observed the crowd beyond.

Kagome looked between him and the people. Her face became drawn.

"Do you see it?" The young woman's was spoken softly.

Okita blinked then looked closer. It was then that he noticed an odd detail. There were several girls just a year or so shy of Kagome's age. They were dressed in their best yet huddled together in a protective circle. Men clad in suits surrounded them as the girls clung to one another. In normal circumstances they would've been out on the floor and at least talking to other people. However this looked less like a party and more like prey being surrounded by predators.

Okita went back to his radio, "Saito," He waited until the man gave a small noise in response. "Go check on the girls in the east side. Something's up."

"Understood." The man responded before falling back into silence.

Kagome leaned into his side, "It's common for businessmen to gather at these events with their daughters. Usually things are mild but today Touga seems to have invited everybody." She tilted her head towards an aging man with a bald cap and wide grin. "That's Ikki Takeru. He's usually the worst. Most of the girls are uncomfortable in these gatherings because of guys like him."

Okita didn't have to ask her to clarify. As soon as she spoke Ikki had grabbed a waitstaff by the arm and pulled her cleanly upon his lap. His lip curled in disgust.

Kagome tugged at his arm, "Come on, we should probably make ourselves scarce until time. I don't want Touga catching up."

He nodded once.

The man wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders. He didn't have any idea just how far this rabbit hole went but he'd find out. One way or another.

* * *

Kagome felt her nerves begin to settle. She sighed as they made their way back into one of the changing rooms she'd used earlier.

"How're you holding up?" A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "You look more miserable than I do."

Okita smirked, "I'll live." He kept one arm wrapped around her shoulders; as if guarding her from outside dangers. "Did you want something to drink?"

Kagome made a face, "I am thirsty but…" Her eyes shifted away. "Well I'd rather not take risks right now."

His features grew hard, "You think they'd go that far?"

She shook her head, "I don't know honestly so I'd rather just get something afterwards."

Okita nodded firmly. The two stopped as someone cleared their throat behind them.

The detective spun around first. He pulled her behind his back, blocking the person from view.

"It seems you two are quite comfortable with one another." Naraku let himself inside the room. His eyes slid from Okita to her. "I was hoping to ask for a dance but perhaps this is a bad time." He strolled towards them.

Kagome pressed herself into Okita's back. Out of all of Touga's acquaintances, Naraku put her on edge the most. There was something _sinister_ about the way he treated people. Even Touga only used him when necessary and _that_ spoke volumes.

Okita folded his arms over his chest, "You're right, we are busy. Sorry but it looks like you'll have to find another dance partner. This one is mine."

She flushed at the possessive note in his tone. Damn it, she could _not_ lose focus right now!

Naraku smirked, "What a shame. Seems as if I was too late." She felt Okita's body go stiff at those words. "In any case the toast will be soon. So perhaps it'd be best if we all returned to the floor as well. Kagome," Scarlet eyes narrowed on her. "I do hope you enjoy yourself tonight." With that he was gone.

She released the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.

"I hate that guy."

Okita snorted, "Me too, kid. Now come on, let's finish this night."

She slipped her arm through his, "Fine by me. I rather go home anyways."

She wasn't sure but she thought she could spot the slight upwards quirk of her companion's lips.

Kagome felt her own lift into a small smile.

* * *

Okita waited as Touga took the stage once more. The man rambled on and on before searching the crowd. He'd seen him zigzag through the crowd earlier. His face had been a picture of controlled fury. Even if he hadn't chosen to take Kagome back hone tonight, Okita knew that he couldn't leave her to Touga. The man wore his jealousy on his sleeve.

"Kagome, raise your glass so we can see you." His request was meant only as a way to find her location. Okita gripped her arm. She nodded at him silently, holding still as Touga pressed onward.

"Ah, seems as if she's not on the floor at the moment." An awkward laugh passed through the crowd. "Well regardless I'd like to make this toast in honor of her eighteenth birthday. May this night be the first for her journey into adulthood."

The others raised their glasses in sync.

Touga descended the platform. He briskly walked through the heavy throng of people—searching for someone he could not allow him to find.

Okita took her hand, "Let's go."

Kagome followed his lead as they pushed their way to an exit near the far side of the venue—the furthest away from the raised platform. He pushed the bar handle open partially, allowing Kagome to walk out ahead of him.

As soon as the door shut behind them, she wrapped her arms around herself. Tonight was one of the coldest yet for this winter. Okita shrugged out of his coat. He slid it over her shoulders before wrapping an arm securely around her waist.

"Ready?"

She smiled up at him, "I've been ready."

He pressed his fingers to the radio, "Got the girl. We're leaving now."

Saito responded quickly, "Understood. I'll keep Touga busy."

Okita smiled, "Thanks. Call my phone if you need me." With that he pulled the ear piece out and shut it off.

The man took her hand. He swiftly led them back through the familiar streets and alleyways that fed into his neighborhood. They were fortunate really. Touga had picked the one venue closest to his place.

The two didn't stop until they were back inside his house. Okita locked the door behind them. He threw his keys onto the table and smiled.

"Mission accomplished."


	20. Fail Safe

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Flesh by Simon Curtis

 _This chapter has been censored. To view the full version please visit AO3._

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Twenty** : Fail Safe

Okita opened his arms as Kagome sank into his chest. He felt her arms wrap around his back. She shivered and buried her face into his shoulder.

"You did good, kid." He combed his fingers through her hair in a soothing manner.

"Souji," She raised her head to meet his gaze. "Thank you." In spite of those words she was still shaking. Had the stress of this evening gotten to her? He pulled her closer. There was only so much that he could do. He'd promised so much yet the only thing he could offer her now was the comfort of his presence.

"It's fine, now let's get you into something more comfortable." His eyes slid down the hourglass of her figure. "That dress suits you but I doubt you want to go to sleep in it." Truthfully he rather enjoyed the image she'd made. For some time now he'd noticed things about her that he hadn't before. Namely the caring nature she reserved for him. She worried for him more than anyone else. It was a trait he both appreciated and took comfort in.

Kagome snorted, "I wasn't even the one to pick it out. Apparently Touga chose this entire outfit."

That thought caused his lip to curl in dissatisfaction. Of course Touga would. The man seemed to have a desire to be in control of everything. Kagome being the top of his list of things, and people, he wanted full control over.

He hated that thought. Touga had spent the majority of her life, scheming and manipulating others to place her under his thumb. He gave her no autonomy. He respected none of her decisions, especially where significant others were involved. Worst of all, he abused his authority over her to put her in an impossible position. Regardless of his own feelings, Okita knew that he could never do the same to her. He cared too damn much.

That smile flashed in his mind over and over again. He couldn't get it out of his head. He couldn't stop imagining her next to him.

Okita was pulled out of his reverie by the softness of her hands resting at the collar of his neck.

"Here," She expertly loosened the tie. "Let's get this off of you." Her lips quirked up into a tiny smile. "It looks uncomfortable."

He kept his eyes focused on her intently. Her fingers deftly worked the knot that he'd it together before pulling it off completely. In any other situation this would've been viewed as sexual in nature. Her closeness, that smile even the way she glanced at him. He wasn't a fool. He knew where this would lead if he didn't stop it soon. But, did he _want_ to stop it?

Okita swallowed thickly.

"There," She wrapped her arms around his neck. "That feel better?"

He lowered his mouth close to hers, "That depends." He wanted to see how she'd react. He wanted to know what _her_ feelings were. He wouldn't force himself into her. Above all else, he _wanted_ Kagome to be the one to initiate this final step of their strengthening bond.

Kagome didn't waiver. He felt her fingers tangle in his hair. It was a nice sensation. Briefly, images of her lying prone beneath him and gasping in pleasure surfaced to the forefront of his mind.

He craved that intimacy. He _needed_ her.

"Need help with the rest?" Okita didn't miss the sultry tone she'd used. He tightened his hold on her.

"What, you want to undress me yourself?" He couldn't keep himself from teasing her. In spite of the emotions that roiled within him, he couldn't prevent himself from adding a little humor.

The young woman took it in stride, "And if I do?"

Okita noticed that she was unusually confident at the moment. Kagome was typically reserved but affectionate. She flustered easily and couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him recently. He was fully aware of the fact that she no longer saw him as 'the detective' but someone much closer.

He smirked, "We should probably take this to the bedroom. I'm not into sharing so I'd rather we move this somewhere more private." In a way he was testing her. Pushing to see where her boundaries lie. Her trust was his only concern at this point. A part of him was already fully aware of the desperation she must be feeling. It was the only explanation he could come up with for her sudden bout of confidence. She was usually much too shy to initiate such things.

Okita frowned. Even if they escaped Touga tonight, that didn't mean that he couldn't corner her later to take what he wanted. She was still vulnerable to attack. He couldn't watch her twenty-four seven. As emphasized by the attack earlier that week. It would only take one moment—just a single point in time for her to be alone. When that happened Touga could slip in and harm her in the most unthinkable way.

Okita walked them towards the bedroom. His fingers curled all the tighter around her waist. In this case she was both scared and desperate. She saw him as a man she could trust. The real question was if this was the _right_ thing to do.

Okita closed the door behind him. He'd hardly twisted the lock into place before her hands were reaching for his shirt.

He slanted his mouth over hers. It was their first and served as the final act that broke all barriers between them.

Okita wasn't a fool. He knew that what was to come next would only complicate the investigation _and_ their relationship.

He felt her push the shirt from his shoulders. The man obliged, leaning forward and allowing it to drop onto the floor carelessly. He added more pressure onto her lips.

Kagome gave a faint moan. She attempted to wrap her arms around his neck before he took her wrists into his hands.

Okita pulled back to flash her a confident smirk, "Come now, there's no rush." He turned them so that her back was pushed firmly against the door. "Let's take our time." His expression softened at her confused look. He knew that one all you well. Right before the onset of insecurity, she'd give him that exact expression.

"Hey," He nudged her chin upwards, "Rely on me. I'll take care of the rest." It was a simple message but one that was understood all the same.

He felt her smile against his lips.

"Like I don't already." She pushed off the door. Catching her silent request, he lowered his hand to the zipper of her dress. He took the tiny piece of metal between his fingers and gently pulled it downwards. Kagome pressed her face into the crook of his neck. He felt the heat of her breath before the gentle scraping of her teeth.

Okita did not deny the rush of desire that flushed through his system. Somewhere in the far recesses of his mind his logical side was screaming at him—pleading with him not to break this final barrier. Yet one heated glance from her eyes caused him to lose sight of everything else around him.

He wasn't a fool. He knew exactly what would happen if they were caught. However the idea of _not_ having her next to him in his bed caused him greater anxiety. Where would she be? Who would she have chosen to take instead? The thoughts swirled around in his mind. He was glad she'd chosen him but he still felt torn about the direction they were heading. Was it too late to pull back?

The man shifted his hands to push at the thick straps that held her dress in place. It fell to the floor in a single, fluid movement. Okita felt a second rush at the sight of her bared form. In that moment he knew that he was lost—taken captive by the woman before her.

The man led them back to his bed. He lowered her onto the mattress. He flashed a wicked grin at her flushed face.

"Ready?" The man trailed the tips of his fingers sensually over the curve of her thigh.

She curled her legs around his hips. The smile and welcoming expression told him everything he needed to know.

Okita settled himself atop of her. No matter what happened, he knew that he'd always remember this moment fondly.

* * *

Kagome woke to the feeling of her thighs burning. She winced as a dull ache reverberated through her body. Was it supposed to be this sore right afterwards?

A thick arm coiled about her waist, tugging her into a muscular chest. She felt her face heat all over again.

In the hours leading up to the gala she'd grown anxious about how to deal with Touga. Question like how would she avoid him? What could she do to fend him off? Where was she to go to keep herself safe? Eventually she was only able to come to a single conclusion. If Touga was desperate to have her the There was no one-hundred percent guarantee that she'd be safe from him. As such, she absolutely refused to allow her first time to go to someone like _him_.

Okita buried his nose into the crook of her neck. The tell tale response of his desire caused her face to burn even more.

At first she hadn't been sure as to what to do. Certainly she could've gone to Takeshi but the thought hadn't settled well with her. No matter how hard she tried she could only picture one man—just one person she was truly willing to become vulnerable with. She just hadn't known if he'd take her up on that offer.

During the gala she knew something had changed in him. Whether it was watching her dance with Touga or if the reality of their situation had sunken in, she wasn't sure. The only thing she knew for certain was that Okita hadn't looked at her like some poor kitten he'd picked off the streets. Instead, he looked at her in the way a man would a woman.

Her companion stirred. She felt his lips at the hollow of her throat. His hands moved towards her hips, gently pushing her onto her back once more.

Kagome obliged. She sucked a breath through her nose as he started to move. Her nails clung to his shoulder blades and back; dragging parallel lines of scarlet welts in their wake.

Okita grunted. He sank further as she bit into her bottom lip to avoid crying out.

"Don't fight it," He took the lobe of her ear between his teeth. "Let it happen."

Kagome cried at a jarring movement. Her body snapped as a wave of pleasure ran through her. Okita didn't hesitate. He sat up, focusing entirely on fulfilling both their needs until she felt the same wave begin to travel its way through her. That time his body convulsed mere seconds after her own.

Okita pulled back. He enveloped her into his embrace while drowning her in his kiss. This was not the timid awkwardness of a couple's first time of intimacy. It was something deeper; a physical representation of the trust they'd held in each other.

If she could not prevent Touga from taking what he wanted then at least she'd give this honor to someone she knew she could trust. This was to be her only fail safe.

Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders. She trailed her fingers over his heated flesh in soothing lines. Okita's body went lax. She could still feel the sharp pinprick of his teeth nipping at her neck and collarbone but she didn't mind.

The man raised his head, "Ready for round two?"

Kagome laughed, "I was wondering when you'd ask."


	21. Separation

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Haunting by Halsey

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Twenty One** : Separation

Okita was in deep shit. It'd be accurate to say that he knew he was screwed in the worst way possible. Beside him, Kagome sighed and buried herself deeper within his arms. He worked his hand through her hair. He didn't regret last night. He doubted that he ever could, but where did that leave them now? He'd crossed a line that neither of them could come back from.

"Souji," His lover sat up on her forearms. "What's wrong?"

Just like that she'd seen right through him. Wasn't he supposed to be the detective? He wasn't supposed to let others sense _his_ shift in emotions.

Okita met her eyes, "We should probably talk about _this_." He slid his palm from her shoulder blade down towards her hip. Kagome blinked then nodded.

"I figured as much." She sat up, straddling his hips between her thighs. He eyed the sensual curve of her body, fighting the urge to roll her back under him.

The man leaned into her palms as she took his face within her hands.

"Souji," She forced him to look at her. "I don't expect us to be able to make our relationship official right now." Her thumb trailed over the high bone of his cheek. He gently took her wrists in his hands. They were so thin and frail by comparison. The feeling served as a stark reminder of the difference between them.

"Right now neither of us can jeopardize the case. I know that if we tried to go public or anything like that then it might raise a few questions." Kagome sat back. "It's not just about justice for Inuyasha anymore. It's much bigger than that."

Okita felt his expression harden at the thought, "You're talking about the gala." There was an odd vibe about the entire evening. The way the men leered at the girls and the strange sexualized nature of the event. Most notably was the lack of adult women in the room. The guests were either in direct business connection with Touga or were the under aged daughters that accompanied them. No wives or other family members attended. Even Izumi appeared to have not been apart of it. His brows furrowed.

Kagome nodded, "Yeah. The whole thing has always been strange." She folded her arms over her chest; effectively blocking his view. "Why eighteen and not twenty*? The only significance of the eighteenth is legal consent."

They both stopped.

A sickening feeling twisted in his stomach at the notion.

"You don't think…?" Her voice went quiet. He knew exactly what she was thinking, because he was thinking it too.

"It's a possibility. I'll dig deeper into it. Who knows, maybe that'll give us the evidence we need against Touga." Okita sat up. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. She flushed heavily in response.

The man smiled. He pressed his lips to the nape of her neck sensually. Even though things were complicated he wasn't quite ready to let go of her just yet.

"Should we really do this again?" He felt her lean heavily into his chest. Okita smirked.

"Well we can't exactly go out on regular dates right now, so why not?" He didn't mention the fact that this might be the last time in a long while that they could be together like this. What he had to do next would be too dangerous for her. If that assailant from the other night wasn't enough of a warning, he knew even worse people were bound to target him. He would _not_ put Kagome in their line of sight. Not ever.

The young woman sighed, "Fine but first I want to talk."

His face fell. Of course she would.

Kagome flicked his nose with her index finger, "Don't give me that look. We need to figure out what we're going to do from here."

Okita nipped at the flesh of her neck petulantly, "Don't wanna."

She tried to twist in his grip. The man held her even tighter to him. His grin widened as she turned her head towards him.

"Souji," Her voice was scolding. He didn't give her the chance to speak. Okita slanted his mouth against hers. He held her steady, trailing the tip of his tongue along the seam of her lips. There was only one thing he wanted right now.

Kagome opened her mouth. He shot forward but was swiftly met by the gentle clamping of her teeth. Okita stilled. He drew back the second she released him.

The man scowled at her satisfied expression, "That's assault on an officer, you know."

The young woman crossed her arms over her chest, "What, you gonna arrest me?"

A wicked grin spread over his lips, "Don't temp me. I've still got my handcuffs."

It would make the rest of their morning even more interesting if he _did_ bring them out. It was only a shame he hadn't thought to use them last night.

She blanched. Kagome remained seated upon his lap. She braced her palms over his shoulders before meeting his eyes.

"I'm serious Souji, we need to talk about, well, _us_." She wouldn't let him drop the subject.

Okita sighed, "I know, I know." He kept his arms around her waist. "Just for the record, this isn't a break up." He smirked at her shocked expression. "What? You didn't think I'd catch on to your drift?"

Kagome shook her head. He felt her arms tighten as she leaned in closer.

"No, that's not it. I'm just surprised you admitted that this was a relationship." She gave a tiny smile. "We haven't exactly had a real date. I just sort of thought you'd assume it was a, you know…" Her voice trailed off.

"One night stand?" Okita finished for her. She flushed a bright shade of scarlet. He shifted his hand to comb his fingers through her hair. "I'm not that reckless. It'd be stupid to risk all of this just for one night." He leaned forward, pressing his mouth against the shell of her ear. "I want more than that."

Kagome pressed herself against him. A smile pulled at her lips, "I'm glad because I don't think I'd be satisfied with anyone else after last night."

Okita smirked confidently. Guess he had done a number on her if she was saying that so openly.

"With that said it'd probably be good if we put some distance between us for a little while." She took his face between her hands. "Souji, I _trust_ you right now. You're the only person who can bring this case to a close. In order for that to happen we can't risk getting caught having an affair."

What she said made sense. Neither of them could risk being exposed. He had the murder to worry about and she needed to find a way to get out from Touga's thumb. Neither of those would happen if they were found out.

"So for now, I probably won't be coming back here for a while. I'll keep that phone you gave me so I can still message you." He observed as her features grew hard with her determination. "I talked to Sesshoumaru as well. He agreed to take me and Souta in as long as we follow his conditions."

Okita stopped her, "First, what conditions? And second, can we trust him?"

His woman nodded, "He hasn't given me his conditions yet but I know that he and Touga had a falling out some time ago." Her smile turned wry, "Touga's always been big on appearances, so they were slowly separating their assets in the company. The announcement isn't supposed to go public for another month or so." She shifted nervously, "As for his involvement, I don't think Sesshoumaru knows much. He might suspect something but he and Touga aren't exactly on speaking terms except when they're being interviewed by the police."

"You think he's got an axe to grind?" That would be something useful he could take advantage of later. Even if Sesshoumaru didn't have direct knowledge of Touga's crimes, it didn't mean that he couldn't hold important details for the case. He'd have to push it out of him one way or another.

Kagome shook her head, "No I don't think it's that. It's more like he just doesn't _trust_ Touga."

The two stopped as his phone began to vibrate. It created a loud, reverberating echo from its place atop his nightstand. Okita grabbed it, he answered the call and waited as Saito's voice came through on the other side.

"Souji," His partner sounded far from enthused with him. "Where's the girl?"

Kagome went silent. She coiled her arms around his neck. He felt her bury her face into his shoulder.

"She's safe," Okita responded as vaguely as he could. He wouldn't let the other man know about their _indiscretion_ the previous night. He continued, "Was there something you needed from her?"

Kagome dipped her head. He felt her mouth bite down on his skin as she suckled at the flesh. What did she think she was doing?

Okita shifted uncomfortably. His body responded as she refused to release him. Was she _trying_ to make things difficult?

"Yes, Yukimura will be in later to speak with her. She wants to go over her options from a legal standpoint." Saito continued without break. "After you two left Omoikiri became furious. He turned the venue upside down searching for her. I would not be surprised if he requests the cctv of that night from the company."

Okita bit into his bottom lip as she slid further down his chest. Damn it all, how was he supposed to _focus_ when she was teasing him like this?

"That's fine. If it comes down to it, I'll just tell him that I just saw her to a cab out of the camera's view." He had to actively move his phone away from his ear—hiding the slight groan that escaped his lips the second her tongue trailed across him. "Hey look, I've got a few things to take care of. When do you need me to have her drop by?" He tried to finish the conversation.

Kagome pressed her palms at his shoulders. She shifted further down on his legs; telling him everything he needed to know about her intentions. The young woman waited patiently as she settled herself in a comfortable position.

"Noon. Also, don't be late… _either_ of you." The line went dead. Okita wasn't sure if Saito had heard him or not. He set his phone down on the nightstand. Almost as soon as he did, he was enveloped in pleasure.

* * *

Okita watched from afar as Kagome settled into a small conference room. It was more comfortable than the interrogation room they'd thrown her into last time. At least the seats were cushioned here.

The man stopped as a familiar figure stepped into view. His lips curled into a caustic smirk.

"I didn't think you'd walk your ass down here yourself. What, you looking for a reason to throw me back on desk duty?" Okita turned fully towards the other man. He squared his shoulders, "Hate to break it to you but I've been on my best behavior. Can't exactly punish someone who hasn't stepped out of line, can you Hijikata-san?"

Hijikata threw a blistering glare in his direction. Most other days he would've thrown the barbs right back at him. The silence told Okita more than words ever would.

His smirk fell away, "What happened?"

"Omoikiri is withdrawing all funding until his daughter is returned to him." Violet eyes slid towards the girl shifting nervously beyond the pane of glass. "Said he wouldn't sue if we apologized and fired the officer that took her out of the gala."

That settles it then. He was either going to lose his job and have to investigate solo, or he'd just find a way to ship Kagome and her brother to a safe house until this shit blew over.

Okita stepped closer to him, "So what do you want to do?" His eyes grew fierce as he stared down his superior. "You going to fire me? Because I'll walk out that door right now. It won't stop me from working this case." He shot a look towards Kagome, "Or saving that girl."

Hijikata spoke nothing as he continued.

"You know damn well just how far down rabbit holes like these can go. You really want to turn a blind eye for the sake of money?"

Black brows twitched at that. Good, he was working his way under the man's skin. About damn time if Okita were honest with himself. Hijikata wasn't a bad person at heart but occasionally he liked to let his ego get the best of him. Pushing back like he was now gave him the grounding he needed.

"Keep digging," Hijikata folded his arms over his chest. "We need you looking this shit over with a fine tooth comb. As soon as Omoikiri called, his lawyer dropped by and indicated that Omoikiri is a dangerous man and that he would no longer be representing him."

Okita stiffened, "Rats abandoning ship?"

Hijikata snorted, "Somebody threw a match into the hole. So now you'll start seeing them flee and fight." He began to walk away from him. "Keep an eye out for yourself Souji. I get the feeling that we've just kicked the hornets nest. Now we've got to wait to see who comes out to sting."

His lips curled into a caustic grin. He'd take great pleasure in tearing them all down while he was at it.

"Oh and Souji," Hijikata stopped at the threshold between the empty lobby and the corridor back towards his office. "Try _not_ to let your hormones get in the way. The girl needs help, not a fuck buddy."

Okita relaxed his shoulders, "As if the thought crossed my mind." He was fairly good at lying. It was the one thing he was really skilled at besides calling out people's bullshit.

Hijikata threw him one last look of warning, "Right. Keep me updated."

He waited until the other man was gone. So it looked like Touga already found out that he'd taken her away last night. His fingers dipped into his pocket, feeling the edge of his box of cigarettes. Maybe just smoking one would help clear his mind.

Okita stopped as Kagome shifted. She met his gaze and flashed a tiny, yet supportive smile. He felt his own curl upwards in response. His hand fell away from his pocket.

He couldn't stick around forever but he'd at least keep an eye on things. Chizuru rushed into the conference room. She gave Kagome a brief, warm smile before they shut the door. He turned on the ball of his heel. From this point everything else would be up to her.

**Age of Adulthood — For many years 20 was considered the age where a person was classified as an 'adult' in Japan. However a was bill introduced that proposed to lower it down to 18 years of age. If it passes, it will not be scheduled to take effect until 2022.


	22. Dive into Darkness

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening_ : Bullet with Butterfly Wings as performed by Tommee Profitt and Smashing Pumpkins (Feat. Sam Tinnesz)

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Twenty Two** : Dive into Darkness

Chizuru was a very kind person. It was the first thing that Kagome had noticed about her really. She was close to Okita's age but she exuded an air of warmth and acceptance. It was a nice change from the cold attitude she was greeted with the first time she'd come here.

The young woman relaxed a little.

"Higurashi-san I understand that you're in a trying position." The other woman settled into a seat beside her. "With that said it may be very difficult to have you and your brother taken from Omoikiri-san's custody."

Kagome did not fight the urge to sigh that time. She was already well aware of that fact. Perhaps too aware. She'd been trying to escape for a long while now to no avail. Her lips dipped downwards at the thought.

"However Ummei Naraku reached out to me earlier this morning. He stated that he could help aid in getting you removed from Touga's custody. We do still need someone who can claim responsibility for you though. It'll be two years before you can legally sign contracts and be eligible for other considerations." Chizuru answered her silent question however her responses only raised a few more in return.

Kagome quirked a brow, "Naraku? Why would he help?" It was suspicious. He was her stepfather's lawyer wasn't he? Why was he so willing to help her _now_? The man was as creepy as they came. It was rumored that he was involved in several underground dealings. As such Touga only used him when necessary. Most notably was for his defense during the night of Inuyasha's murder.

Chizuru cocked her head to the side, "Is it that unusual?"

She shook her head in response, "It's fine, don't worry about it." Her brows furrowed. She'd have to pass that information along to Okita. Chances were that Naraku's behavior was connected to Touga's reaction at her departure the previous night. Either he was seeing the writing on the wall and wanted to cover his ass, or there was something else he was after. She sat up straighter, "As for the second part, I've already found someone willing to help. He's fairly busy but he said that he'd be in soon."

They both glanced towards the clock. It was fifteen past noon. Knowing him, he'd show up right on the dot. That man always did have a certain flair to him.

Kagome paused. The doorway flung open to reveal the very person she'd been expecting. A wry smile crossed her lips.

"Got lost on the train?"

Sesshoumaru hardly cast her a look. He sat on her other side and pinned Chizuru with a sharp glare.

"What are our options?" His tone brooked for no dissent.

Kagome sighed. That was just like him.

She gestured towards the male, "This is the one I was talking about. Omoikiri Sesshoumaru. He's volunteered to become our guardian."

Chizuru collected herself, "I understand. Well from what I've been able to gather we can file for emergency custody. Given the information I was told earlier we should be able to make that work."

Her gaze turned soft as she looked towards her, "It'll be alright. You won't have to go back to that house again."

Kagome felt her body relax. A tiny smile curled at her lips as she nodded. Somehow, she believed her.

* * *

Okita wandered down the sparsely populated streets. This area was one of the most crime-ridden of them all. Either because the men released from prison had no money to go anywhere else or it was the only place they had solid connections. The only thing he knew for certain was that he hated it.

He took out a cigarette and lit the end with his lighter. A trail of thin, coiling smoke billowed behind him in a column of translucent grey. Just like the good ole days of wandering back alleys looking for shit to eat. Digging through garbage cans, feasting on week old rotten meat, even pilfering through a few unlocked homes just for something semi decent. A shudder ran through his body. He never wanted to go back to that gods forsaken lifestyle again. He'd gotten too damn close to becoming one of the bastards he tracked every day.

Okita turned the final corner. He passed through the heavily fenced gates and made his way inside. He greeted the receptionist at the front and waited until he could be called back.

The detective rubbed his sleeve over his nose. He hated the smell here. It always reeked of human feces and something sour. Expired milk perhaps? Okita pulled the cigarette from his lips. He put it out before glancing down at his phone. No messages from Kagome thus far. Which meant she was probably still talking to Chizuru. He scratched the back of his neck at that one. Chizuru was a good lawyer. She had a firm head on her shoulders and was more than capable of protecting Kagome in a legal sense if it came down to it. In a worst case scenario he'd call in Sanan to take over for her.

Okita sighed to himself. That wasn't too pleasant of a notion. Then again neither was the thought of her being under the roof of another Omoikiri. His eyes narrowed into thin slits at the ceiling.

Sesshoumaru, huh? He didn't have much information on the man. All he had to go by were the half-assed shitty tabloids that were always wrong about _everything_. Kagome seemed confident in his ability so there was that much. He just didn't trust him yet.

Okita didn't deny the small sear of jealousy that shot through him. He wasn't keen on the idea of her living with another man—especially one with such close connections to Touga. He'd rather her continue staying at his house where he could keep an eye on her. However he knew that to be an impossibility. Touga was fully aware of the fact that he was catching onto his trail. With that said, his life would now be in constant danger. Having her in such close quarters would put her in the direct line of their sight. His fists clenched over his thighs. The flash of her pale, terrified face came back to the forefront of his mind. He wouldn't put her through that again. Not if he could help it.

The man sucked a breath through his nose. Even if his house was dangerous at this point that didn't mean that he couldn't protect her in his own way. He'd keep an eye on things from a distance and step in if necessary. His shoulders relaxed somewhat. Regardless, if Kagome was going to trust him then he supposed that he could extend an olive branch. At least until they knew for certain where Sesshoumaru's true loyalties lie.

"Okita," A guard motioned towards him. "He's ready to see you."

The detective rose to his feet. His expression grew hard as he entered the tiny interrogation room. Strapped to a chair was a man he remembered all too well. Deep crevices carved their way into his once youthful face. Steely blue eyes had gone a few shades paler—nearly fading into grey. His hair had faded from its brilliant auburn to a pale shade of silver. The most noticeable feature was a thick scar that encircled a good portion of his forehead.

"It's been some time detective. A year I believe?" The older male tried goading him.

"Eighteen months and you've got hundreds more left to serve in this rotten dump." Okita took the across from him. "That look is an improvement to the last time I saw you. Old buddy decide to make you his wife yet?"

The man gave a low, throaty laugh, "Strong words coming from _you_. Tell me, do you still have the nightmares?"

His face grew hard. That son of a bitch.

"Cut the shit asshole. I've got questions and you're going to be answering them." Okita leaned forward on his forearms. "You shut your trap and I'll make sure you'll never see the light of day again."

This was necessary. It was an evil he _had_ to become. If saving Kagome from that hell hole meant he had to act the part of a dirty cop, then he'd damn well do it. He'd beat the fucker half to death if that was what it'd take.

The male clicked his tongue behind his teeth, "In a rush, detective? Why so eager? Unless…" A coy smirk spread across dry and cracked lips. "The little rumor is true about you."

Okita snapped to attention, "Which rumor we talkin' about here? Cause we both know that I busted your ass at least once." His eyes narrowed on the thick scar on the man's forehead. He should've left a bigger one.

He smirked even wider, "Why the one about you and Omoikiri's prize."

A cold chill shot through him, "Prize?" What in the hell was that supposed to be?

"His stepdaughter of course." Steel-grey eyes narrowed into thin slits. "He's been parading her around for months now. Said that he wasn't going to put her up like the others." He circled his thumb over the pads of his fingers. "No price was high enough to make him give her up to anybody else. Then when the shit goes down some sly cop sneaks in and steals her away."

Yellow teeth flashed at him, "You always did have a soft spot for the little ones." Okita stiffened at the comment. "Tell me, did you fuck her while you were at it too? I doubt anybody would blame you." He gave a deep, throaty laugh. "Even his closest confidants wanted a piece of that ass. She was born for that sort of work, you know. She's got a body good for fucking."

Okita snapped. His hand shot forward. The detective grabbed the man by his hair and slammed his face against the steel table. He didn't flinch as the man writhed under his grip.

"Don't fuck with me, Jirou." He lifted his head before pulling it all the way back. "You fucking know that not a single person is gonna walk through those fuckin' doors to help you. So stop feeding me bullshit and give me something I can _work_ with." His voice dropped into a dangerously low tone, "Or would you rather I give you a matching scar on the other side of your face?"

Jirou held still. His throat bobbed as he swallowed thickly.

"I hate little shits like you," The older man snarled between clenched teeth. "You think you're so good? What makes you so damn different from the rest of us? Your badge?" A thick tongue shot out to wet cracked lips. "Look at you. Brutality was always your strong point. How about you give up on the whole 'good cop' routine. Never did you any favors in the first place."

Okita remained silent. A long time ago what he said would've been accurate. Hell, even with Kondou at his side he'd had a hard time adjusting to 'normal' life. He was aggressive, was quick to use his fists and never quite was able to learn how to be 'soft'. In many ways he was just as rough as the criminals he arrested.

"Go fuck yourself." He bent down so as to tower over him, "Who gives a flying fuck? Right now, I just want to know two things." His fingers curled into a tight knot within the other man's hair. "First, how do you even know the kid? Second, what the hell do you mean by 'putting her up'?"

Okita dropped his tone, "You best answer me truthfully because I won't hold back this time." He pointed a long, dexterous finger towards the camera. "See that? They won't be recording for another forty-five minutes. That's forty-five minutes of doing whatever the fuck I want. So you answer me truthfully and we'll be done without any pain."

Jirou snorted through his nose, "Fucking sadist."

Okita curled his lips upward in a sharp grin, "Don't you fuckin' forget it either."

Just this once he'd indulge in his old ways. Just this single moment in time he would blur the space between morality and corruption. Right now, his goal was a very simple one:

Save the woman he loved.

* * *

Kagome opened her arms as Souta rushed at her in full force. The boy buried himself in her embrace as tears sprung in the corner of his eyes.

"Sis!" His grip on her tightened.

The meeting with Chizuru had ended some time ago. Since then she and Sesshoumaru had began the short trek outside of the station. It was there she had been reunited with her sibling once more. For some reason, it'd felt more like weeks had gone by since the last time they'd seen each other—not days. She felt guilty for leaving him with Katsumi and Takeshi so much, but at this point it was necessary. There wasn't enough space at Okita's house for all three of them. Plus Souta was prone to meltdowns when he was stressed. It was easier to simply leave him with someone she trusted. At least until this whole issue was settled.

She smoothed his hair over with her hand, "Sorry I made you wait so long. Were you worried?"

Souta nodded once. He kept one arm wrapped around hers tightly as they began to walk. Sesshoumaru flanked their other side.

He cast her a quick glance, "I asked the Yamada's to bring him to the station. Make a list of what you'll need and I'll have it delivered later."

Her brother clung to her. Azure eyes tipped towards the towering male. A flash of fear flickered in his gaze.

Kagome brushed her hand through his hair once more, "We'll do that. Right, Sou-chan?" It was an old nickname she liked to use when he was upset or scared. The boy nodded once before pressing himself further into her. He was a skittish child. It'd take him several months to grow accustomed to someone new.

The trio made their way along the narrow pathways. She'd assumed that with his money Sesshoumaru would've had a car waiting on him hand and foot. It seemed as if that image she had couldn't be farther from the truth. He kept walking, never once turning towards the subway stations or flagging down a cab. Perhaps he lived close by? The thought struck her oddly. Surely not, there was only a handful of neighborhoods in the area.

She slowed her pace. Kagome swallowed thickly; noticing the same squat and tiny house she'd been staying at for several days in a row. Since when has Sesshoumaru moved so close to Okita?! Her body grew simultaneously cold and hot.

Her face flushed. They rounded the street to a larger house situated in an oversized cul-de-sac. It was planted firmly at the corner, giving it a good view of the rest of the houses lining down the street. On its own it didn't look like much with simple white-shuttered windows, aged siding along the exterior and a small walkway leading towards the entrance. It had more of a cookie-cutter feel to it than any specific style.

"You live here?" She felt her voice raise a few notches. Okita's house was just a single block away. Many of the alleyways they'd used to go to his home fed behind this street. She swallowed thickly. Had he seen them together previously?

Sesshoumaru nodded. He pushed open the door and was met with a tiny flurry of color attaching itself to his legs.

"Papi!" A little curl gripped at the cloth of his pant legs. A wide grin split across her cherubic features. "You're home!"

Sesshoumaru gave the crown of her head a quick tousle. Kagome blink. A slow, warm smile crept across her face.

"Is she your daughter?" She kept her arms around Souta. The boy peeked his head out to observe the tiny girl in front of them. She couldn't be a day older than five. Her hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail as she clung to their new guardian's legs with uncontained excitement.

Sesshoumaru nodded, "This is Rin. Rin," He addressed the child, "This is Kagome and Souta. They'll be staying with us." The man's voice was curt. Even when speaking to his own child he came off as aloof.

Run leaned back. She balanced herself on Sesshoumaru's toes as she gave them the once over.

Kagome knelt down to her level, "It's nice to meet you Rin-chan. Can you tell me how old you are?"

Rin blushed heavily. She stuck her palm out, displaying all five fingers.

"Rin is five!"

Souta perked up, "I'm twelve!"

She smiled as the two began to talk to one another. It was rare for Souta to find someone he was comfortable speaking to. Usually he kept silent unless he was in her presence. Not even the tutors Touga had hired for him could get him to break out of his shell.

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru called out to a short, elderly male tucked in the far corner of the corridor. Kagome nearly leapt at the sight of him. Had he been there the whole time?! She rose to her feet as the man scowled at them.

"What may I do for you?" Steely eyes shifted between them. She had the distinct feeling that the slight curl of the man's upper lip indicated more towards his feelings for them than anything else. Kagome fought the urge to stick her tongue out in response.

"Watch the children. We have other matters that need to be discussed." He gently took her arm, leading her into an office with a glass door and a large, oversized computer at its center.

Souta tugged at her sleeve, "Sis, can't you come?" His azure eyes stared up at her imploringly.

The young woman flashed him a sympathetic smile, "Sorry Sou-chan, but Sesshoumaru is right. We've got boring adult stuff to handle." She winked and pressed her lips to his brow. "You go have fun with Rin-chan. I'm sure you two can do a lot more entertaining things then listen to us."

Her brother's expression darkened before Rin's tiny hand grabbed hold of his shirt.

"Rin wants to play!" She pulled him a little harder into the living room. "Let's play!"

Kagome waited until he and the girl were gone before turning on her heel. She sucked a breath through her nose.

"So what were your conditions?" It was best to dive straight into the matter. There was no use in beating around the bush.

Sesshoumaru gestured towards a seat next to his computer, "There are three conditions. The first, you continue to go to school and keep your grades up. I'm fully aware of the fact that you've been skipping out this week." His eyes narrowed. "Your teachers called me when they couldn't reach father."

The young woman flinched, "Sorry, that was a tricky situation."

He held up his hand, "I am certain." His brows gave a subtle twitch before motioning for her to sit. "The second is that you cut all ties with the detective."

That time she jumped. She shook her head vigorously, "I'm sorry but I can't do that. Souji is…" her voice trailed off. What _was_ he exactly? They were in a maybe-type relationship but they couldn't do anything about it just yet. Plus there was still the investigation going on. She met his gaze, "I get why you want me to stay away. I did talk to him and we decided to put some distance between us in the mean time. However," She glared up at him petulantly, "I'm not cutting _all_ contact. I owe him too much to treat him like that."

Which was the truth. He'd pulled her from the depths of Touga's hell waiting for her. She was alive now because he'd given her sanctuary when no one else would. She would rather live out on the streets then cut all connections to the man who'd done so much to save her.

Sesshoumaru snorted through his nose, "Are you aware of how your _relationship_ ," He spoke the word as if he didn't believe in its existence. "Might appear to a jury? You cannot be around him."

Kagome sighed. She knew what he was saying. She'd been saying herself for some time. Unlike Sesshoumaru though, she didn't _want_ to end everything. She wanted this to last. In order for that to happen she'd have to be willing to step back, which was exactly what she was going to do.

The young woman straightened her posture, "We're not in a relationship right now, but afterwards _then_ we might enter one." A small smile made its way across her lips. "There's no way I can know Souji's feelings for certain but I do know that he's an earnest man. He would never do anything to put us or the case at risk." Her voice grew firm, "Please, have that much faith in us. Whatever it may look like to everyone else, we've already decided to do what's necessary and prioritize getting justice for Inuyasha first." Her expression grew dark, "That's the least I can do."

The man was silent for a long while. She honestly had no idea how to read him. He was something of a mystery to everyone; including Touga. That was partly the reason for their company's split between father and son.

"One incident and this agreement is revoked. You go to his house, engage in sexual activity with him or attempt to kindle a relationship prior to graduation and I'll send you back out. Are we clear?" The sharpness in his tone was palpable.

Kagome nodded, "I can agree to those terms." It would be tough but she had full faith in herself and Okita for that matter. He'd been determined enough to pull her from Touga's grasp. Hopefully a few more months wouldn't be that much of a leap.

"What's your last condition?"

She could've sworn she saw the corner of his lips turn upwards in tiny yet sharp smirk. As soon as she noticed it, it was gone.

"At the end of each week you are to accompany me at the office. As it stands you still have a lot of ground to cover." His eyes shifted towards the screen. She took the chance to finally look at the site he had pulled up. It was an application to a local college. With everything going on she hadn't much time to even consider the option of applying. She was mostly content with the idea of entering the work force right after graduating.

She paused, somehow she felt that Okita probably would've nagged her about that too. At least if he'd known.

She leaned back, "So you want me to prepare for college?"

Sesshoumaru snorted, "No, I want you to prepare for what comes _after_ college. Getting the degree is one thing. Putting it to good use is another."

They both stopped at the sound of Rin's high pitched squeal of delight.

Kagome rose to her feet.

"So I'm shadowing you as an unpaid intern?"

His smirk returned in full force, "Correct." The man shifted the conversation, "As of tomorrow our office will be moved into a new building. You needn't worry about father."

She cast him a wary glance, "I don't mind following these rules but how're you so sure he won't just drop by and try to take us back?"

The man flicked his waist length hair over his shoulders, "Because I've already established a temporary restraining order. I had it set up once you contacted me the other day." Golden eyes narrowed into thin slits, "I do not leave any stone unturned, Higurashi." It was the first time he ever addressed her by name.

Sesshoumaru grabbed at the handle and pushed the door open, "Abide by those rules and this house shall be yours."

A smile spread across her lips, "I think I can do that."


	23. Lines Crossed

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Toxic as performed by 2Wei

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Twenty Three** : Lines Crossed

The stench of blood and sweat clung to him. Okita brushed the pad of his thumb over his knuckles. They were scuffed and raw from the beating he'd given Jirou.

 _You're the same as us. You still fucked her_.

He shook his head. Those were the last words Jirou had spat at him before being carted back to his jail cell. The guards smirked at each other as they wheeled him past—their prisoner strapped tightly to his seat as they did so.

Jirou wasn't wrong per say. He _did_ take Kagome into his bed. He hadn't regretted that night either. Except now it seemed as if that'd become common knowledge to everyone else. His brows furrowed. How did they know? Was it just assumptions they'd made off of him taking her out of the gala? Or was it something else entirely?

He didn't like this. There were too many holes. Too much information was getting out. About the only thing he managed to wrangle out of Jirou was that he'd met Kagome only a handful of times during 'business dealings' with Touga prior to his imprisonment. Jirou never did go into detail about 'putting them up'.

His stomach coiled uncomfortably at the notion. The image of the girls standing in a circle; frightened by the men that surrounded them came back in his mind. There was something _very_ wrong in Touga's circle of connections. The galas, their behavior, even Kagome's own lack of knowledge as to reason _why_ such things were held. He never believed in hunches but his instincts were screaming that something was _very_ wrong with this set up.

His lips dipped downwards. He'd found his starting point by forcing it from Jirou. Now he had to search through the rest of his seedy connections. At least one of them had to know more about this. A man like Touga would never do the dirty work on his own. The detective blanched.

Hijikata was going to bust his ass if word of what he'd done to Jirou got back to him.

Okita scowled at the thought. It wasn't like they had much of a choice either. It was go rogue or lose the only lead they had. He made his decision based solely on that.

The man stopped as his phone vibrated once. He glanced down. It was a text from Kagome. Okita opened the message and felt his lips quirk upwards into a smile.

 _Miss you_

It was simple yet got her message across clearly. Okita quickly responded similarly. He tucked his phone back into his pocket as he made his was home.

Jirou was wrong about one thing. He wasn't the same as them. He didn't want Kagome just for sex. It was more than that. His eyes hardened.

He would _never_ be like them.

* * *

Kagome bent over herself. She coiled her arms over her stomach as she laid her head upon her desk. In the time she'd returned to school the rumor mill had run amuck. Some claimed she left the country with one of her stepfather's colleagues while others said that she'd gone underground to hide from the scrutiny of the murder investigation.

It wasn't as if they were _entirely_ wrong on that second account but it was definitely more complicated than it seemed.

"Are you alright?" Katsumi leaned over her. The girl's brows were knit with concern. "You've been feeling off for a few days now, haven't you?"

Kagome flashed her a weak smile, "I'm fine, just some mild cramps." She winced as another shot through her. They weren't bad compared to normal but they were definitely _persistent_. She glanced at her calendar. There was still another week or so before her cycle was due. Maybe her date got shifted earlier?

Katsumi took the seat in front of her. She folded her arms over the backrest, "Yeah but I noticed that your back has been bothering you for a little while. Did you want to get some pain medicine from the nurse's office?"

That was also true as well. She'd been at Sesshoumaru's house for two weeks. While the beds there were comfortable she found herself in pain much more often. Kagome lowered her fist to her back, applying pressure to a knot that'd built up there.

"It should be fine," She smiled at her friend once more. "School's almost done anyways."

Katsumi shot her a knowing look, "You leaving right away again?"

Kagome nodded, "Yeah, I have to go to the office today. There's no skipping allowed in that house."

Both girls stopped as her phone went off. Kagome smiled as she read the contact that flashed across the screen.

 _Be careful on your way, kid._

That was just like Okita. He'd gotten her schedule down to a 'T' and responded at moments he knew she'd be free. Kagome sent a response to him.

Her friend threw her a sly look.

"Is that your boyfriend?" Her eyes dropped to the conspicuously cute emoji she'd sent him. "Oooh, you sent him that one? You try sending the eggplant one yet?"

Kagome felt her face flame, "Oh no! It's not like that!" But it was. In fact, it'd been like _that_ for some time now. They hadn't been able to talk to each other in person but she'd seen him in the neighborhood from time to time. The first time Okita had spotted her, he'd stopped dead in his tracks. He looked as if to speak before Sesshoumaru came up beside her. There'd been a tense awkwardness before Okita nodded once and turned on the ball of his heel.

It was the acknowledgement she needed from it. A subtle sign of support that gave her strength to move forward.

Kagome rose to her feet, "Sorry, I've got to head out before I'm late. See you tomorrow!"

Katsumi waved her off.

She rushed out of the school and into the train station. Sesshoumaru's new office was a good fifteen minute commute. The building was smaller but still held an air of superiority to it. The furniture had more zeros attached to its price than everything she owned _combined_. Her lips pressed into a thin line at that.

The Omoikiri family definitely had a flair for the expensive. She doubted that she could ever buy such flashy materials should she ever have as much money as Sesshoumaru.

"Good afternoon Aya!" She greeted the receptionist cheerfully. The red-head pushed her half-moon spectacles up the bridge of her nose in response.

"You're right on time." Rouge-painted lips pulled into a sly smile. "Big boss is in a foul mood so you should probably keep a zipper on the sass today."

"Sass? I have no idea of what you speak." Kagome set her backpack down. She shrugged out of her jacket before heading into a small open office set near the corner of the lobby area. Sesshoumaru had given her, her own desk space with the understanding that she would either be working on homework or studying for college entrance exams. Her grades were quite good but she did still have some room for improvement.

Her abdomen gave another painful wave. She winced but still settled in all the same. Ayame cast her a concerned glance. Kagome waved her hand placatingly. There was no point in making a large deal about simple cramps.

It was close to an hour before she realized Sesshoumaru had emerged from his office. His face was drawn into a tight frown. His eyes were even more frightening than she last remembered. The man crooked his finger, motioning for her to follow him. She stood, leaving everything else behind.

She sucked a breath through her lips. Hopefully, today wouldn't go as horribly as last time.

* * *

Okita fell onto his bed. He used his arm to cover his eyes.

Gods, he made one step only to run face first into a wall of silence. Chouhou Minako still wasn't talking. Touga was frothing at the mouth. Izumi had practically disappeared off the face of the Earth. Now, he couldn't even get ahold of his old contacts to meet with them.

The detective snorted through his nose.

Of fucking course.

His eyes turned towards his phone. Kagome had sent him a barrage of text messages earlier. She liked keeping him up to date on everything. He appreciated the thoughtfulness she had towards him. Even if he never outwardly expressed his curiosity, she still gave him the answers he'd wanted.

Another came in just as he finished reading through them.

 _I hope you're doing alright. Good luck, Souji! Sorry I can't be there._

It was followed by a heart emoji. He felt his lips turn upwards. Even on a bad day like this, she helped pick up his mood. The man sent a response.

Okita did feel somewhat guilty that he couldn't message her quite as much. Most of the time he was relegated to sending a short greeting in the morning and then a 'nightly check in' as he liked to call them. The man paused as he saw her contact flash across his screen again. This time she was calling.

"Miss me that much?" Okita couldn't stop himself from teasing her.

Kagome huffed on the other end, "Hey you'd start pouting if I _didn't_ call you every so often."

He snorted through his nose, "I dunno, kid. I think you're the one who'd pout."

It was nice to just _forget_ from time to time. Right now he wasn't just a detective on the hunt. He was simply a _man_. Nothing more, nothing less. Kagome had a habit of reminding of that simple fact.

He rolled to his side, "So, how're things with Sesshoumaru?" Okita's brows furrowed at the thought of him. He _still_ didn't like the idea of Kagome and Souta living with him. There was too much about the man he didn't understand. Namely his intentions.

"Eh, it's well enough." He heard her bed squeak as if she'd fallen on it. "He's strict about his rules but it _has_ helped me improve my grades." She stopped for a moment, "Oh that's right. He's at a new office now. I've been shadowing him during his business dealings. He said that he wants me to get a feel for how things works outside of a school environment. Said it'd be a good 'learning experience'." He could heard the slight twinge in her voice.

Okita grew serious for a moment, "You're fine there?" His meaning wasn't lost on her either.

Kagome gave a soft noise at the back of her throat, "We're fine. He's not a bad person. He's just hard to get a read on." Her tone softened, "It's alright. You don't have to worry about us. Just focus on what you need to."

The detective snorted at that one, "Impossible. Not a way in hell I _wouldn't_ worry." His lips quirked upwards, "I'm not exactly keen on letting my woman live with another man for too long." Okay, so he _definitely_ pushed the line with that one.

"Souji!" Kagome's voice came as a harsh whisper, "You know that we can't, well…" She dropped her sentence.

Okita laughed, "Yeah, I know. Anyways, it's late kid. Get to sleep." He softened his tone. "You've got school in the morning, don't you? Get some rest. You'll need it." After all, he didn't want her knowing about the sort of things he would have to resort to. This next leg of the investigation would not be one he wanted her involved in. Not in any capacity whatsoever.

The young woman sighed on the other end of the line, "Alright but Souji," She took a moment to catch her breath. "Promise me one thing."

"Hm?"

"I want you to call me. I'm worried about you. You have this habit of running off on your own without your partner and I'm scared that you might fall in too deep one of these days." She lowered her voice, "I mean, I appreciate everything you've done for me but I know that you also had your own reasons for taking me in all that time ago."

His lips dipped downward, "I'll call so don't fret too much. As for the rest of it, well I'm sure you can guess." There was more to her than just a petrified witness. She'd been too similar to himself. So he'd been incapable of walking away. He couldn't do it then. He couldn't do it now.

"Hey kid," He started one last time. "Just hang tight. You'll be back here soon enough."

She laughed a little on the other end, "I'll hold you to that."

With that the line went dead. Okita sighed. He set his phone aside. She didn't want him getting in too deep, huh? A tiny smile pulled at his lips. That was already impossible.

The detective froze at the sound of something falling over in his kitchen. His hand went for his revolver still nestled upon the nightstand. Was it another attacker?

Okita tightened his stance. He slipped off the bed noiselessly. His feet crept along the floor until his back was beside the door. He pressed his ear against the wall. The faint sound of heavy feet walking around the living area echoed back. There _definitely_ someone there. He cocked the gun. It was now or never.

"Hands up!" Okita flung the door back. He pointed his gun into the darkness beyond. The outline of a figure froze. His eyes fought to adjust the difference in light. Wood creaked and a heavy weight barreled into his abdomen. "Fuck!"

They both fell to the floor. In an instant, he wrapped his legs around the other man and rolled on top. He pushed the barrel of his pistol into the male's temple.

"You best stop right there." Okita clamped on hand around the attacker's neck. "You're going to be answering a few of my questions before I blow your brains out, asshole."

The light of his bedroom made it easier to make out the attacker's features. A long scar trailed from the stranger's eye brow down to the hook of his chin. Okita pressed his lips into a thin line. It was the same bastard as before.

"This is the second time you've come skulking around here." His grip on the man's neck tightened. "Who sent you?"

He didn't expect a direct answer. Hell he didn't expect the man to say a damn thing. If there was one thing he understood about the criminal world then it was that silence was king. Opening one's mouth always led to death.

The attacker spat at him.

Okita glared at the male coolly. A thick trail of saliva slid from his cheek down to his chin.

That was it.

The man slammed the other male's head against the floor.

"You think you're gonna get out of here?" He lowered his voice. "Let me tell you, I've been in your shoes once before. No one is going to save you. No one is going to come rushing through those doors. You're just a pawn."

He slammed his head against the floor a second time. That time the male gave a sound of pain.

Okita pushed the barrel of his revolver against his temple, "You've got one last chance. Next time you'll be feeling this bullet."

"… You're the same."

There was that damn line again.

The detective glowered, "Come again?"

"You know… the girl is the prize…" The male was hardly making any sense. Although it was the second time someone had called her a 'prize'. A fierce wave of protectiveness rushed through him. What was she, some sort of object to these freaks? Just how low did Touga's connections go?

"What do you mean by prize?" His nails dug into the man's flesh. "You better have a damn good explanation for it too."

The male swallowed thickly. Onyx eyes shifted nervously between his gun and his hardened expression.

"Touga wants her. She's his prize. Naraku wants her too." Pale lips pulled into a sickly smile, "They only worked together because Naraku thought he could outsmart Touga."

Okita felt a cold chill run through his body. Narkau, as in Touga's nightmare lawyer? The one that was currently working to establish a case against Touga? His brows furrowed. Then again the man did take the time to stake them out during the gala. Had he been wanting a chance to have Kagome to himself? Another wave rushed through him. Like hell he'd let that happen. They were both just as disgusting as the other.

The smile grew even wider, "Watch yourself detective." He coughed as he struggled to catch his breath, "You're already on the list, but she's next."

A frigid rush of fear ran through him.

"It's only a matter of time. He knows where she is. Someone is probably lookin' to take her back right now."

Okita narrowed his eyes.

"Good to know."

He pulled the trigger.


	24. Unplanned

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Wolves by Selena Gomez and Marshmellow

 _This chapter will be censored and its explicit version posted to AO3. Once it's posted this notice will change._

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Twenty Four** : Unplanned

Kagome chewed on her bottom lip. She hadn't heard anything from Okita for several days now. She'd sent him a few text messages and even tried calling in the evening. All the messages were marked as 'read' but he never responded. Had something happened? Her gaze turned towards the night-darkened streets outside. He'd probably get upset if she tried to visit him unannounced this late at night. Not to mention… her eyes drifted towards the door. Sesshoumaru had kept a fairly close eye on her. He was probably suspicious about her sneaking out to see Okita in the first place.

The young woman pressed her lips into a thin line. This was unusual. She'd caught sight of Okita in the neighborhood but he seemed _off_ somehow. She quickly threw on her jacket. Grabbing her phone she tried to call him one last time.

Something was up. She just knew it was. What it was though she had no idea.

The ring tone ended as his curt voicemail message started to play. Kagome tucked the phone back into her pocket. This was probably going to be her most idiotic move yet. They'd already agreed to put distance between themselves. A coil of nervousness caused her stomach to roil uncomfortably. She clapped a hand to her mouth.

She was due for her cycle any day now. Yet she felt more ill than normal. The wave of nausea subsided. Kagome glanced down at herself. This was probably going to be stupid. She'd probably only piss off Okita _and_ risk her standing with Sesshoumaru. Her eyes narrowed.

Yet it was worth the risk. She didn't know what or why, but she knew that something was terribly _wrong_. The only way she was going to find out was by going to confront Okita herself. She nodded once in affirmation.

"Right, time to go."

* * *

Okita glanced at his phone. Another ignored call. He dropped his head back. He couldn't keep avoiding her. Not about this.

"Souji," Hijikata cast him a sharp look. "Any word from the suspect?"

He shook his head, "Not a damn thing. He closed his mouth."

His superior clicked his tongue in frustration.

Back then, nearly a week ago now, he'd pulled the trigger. Shot the piece of shit right in the shoulder. He was careful to avoid any arteries but he wanted to take the bastard in alive for questioning. The fucker had shut his trap the second they wheeled him into the interrogation room. He'd been patched up and sent on his way into their awaiting hands.

Now all they were met with was that same damnable silence that surrounded this whole case.

Okita stopped as his phone went off a second time. He quickly opened the message.

 _We need to talk. I'll be waiting._

A sinking feeling coiled in his stomach. That could only mean one thing coming from Kagome. She'd probably snuck back into his house and hunkered down.

Okita pinched the bridge of his nose. Fucking hell. He should've sent her something sooner but he'd been too damn caught up. He needed to get back. Before someone else snuck into his home.

The detective grabbed his coat. He slung it over himself as he marched out of the station.

He'd screwed up.

He deliberated too damn long on how to handle everything. His lips dipped downwards at the thought. How was he supposed to go about this now?

Okita made his way back home. The streets were unusually quiet. Hardly a car in sight and even fewer people passed by him. The man pushed forward. He swiftly came upon his porch. Shoving his key into the lock, he opened his door and swiftly shut it behind him.

As expected the lights were off. Which meant that Kagome was likely in his living room.

"Come out on, kid." His voice came across more terse than he'd wanted. His hand flicked the light. As the room became visible, he spotted her curled up on his couch.

"Souji," Kagome's voice sounded small.

His eyes narrowed into thin slits, "Do you have any idea how risky this is?" Okita didn't stop as his frustration boiled over. "You know damn well that we can't risk you getting thrown out just yet. Where would you two go?"

The thought of her and Souta wandering the streets caused his heart to stop in his throat. As cautious as he was towards Sesshoumaru, he wouldn't fuck up the agreement Kagome had with him. At least not yet. There was too much at stake.

"What did you expect me to do!" The young woman's voice took on a desperate edge. "You just stopped responding altogether and I couldn't get through to you!" Kagome stood to her feet. She marched up to, jutting her finger at his chest. "I was _scared_ that something had happened! You couldn't even look at me!"

He felt his chest twist a little. She wasn't wrong. A part of him felt guilty for ever pulling her down into his life. He'd spent so much of his time trudging through the worst that society had to offer. He _couldn't_ look at her.

Okita sighed, "So you decided that _this_ was the best option?" His tone grew sharp, "You know damn well that it's not safe right now. What've happened if someone else was here? Did you have a plan for that?"

It was a low blow but a necessary one. He _needed_ her to understand the gravity of her decision. Touga was bound to send more people after him the closer he'd get to the truth. Last week was just the warning shot. The idea of Kagome getting caught up in it _again_ frightened him. He wanted her _safe_ more than anything.

The young woman buried her face in her hands, "You can't just cut all contact and expect me to be okay with that!" She shook her head from left to right. "Why didn't you say something! If you'd just said, 'hey I'm gonna be out of touch for a while' I would've understood and left you alone."

Kagome grabbed at the cloth of his shirt, "Did you really think I could sit back and do _nothing_?"

Okita closed his eyes. She had a point. Not that he'd admit it to her. The truth was that a part of him was _trying_ to separate their relationship. A thought had crossed his mind. Even if they managed to send Touga and his cohorts to jail, there was no guarantee that he still wouldn't have a target on his back. He could possibly be looking at being a target for assassination for the rest of his life. If that happened, where would that leave Kagome? Would she be dragged into his shit too?

His heart gave another twist. He already knew the answer to that. For that reason alone, he'd known that he couldn't stay with her.

"I'm fine. I just had to dig into something." He wrapped his palms over her hands. "You on the other hand need to be getting back." A wry smile pulled at his lips. "You can't be worrying about me right now, kid. You've got your own life to get sorted. Didn't you say that you had to study for entrance exams?"

Kagome shook her head vigorously, "I'm not going back. Not until I know that you're not going to run off again." A flash of stubborn determination flickered in her gaze. "I'm not leaving you."

Okita drew their hands downward. His smile turned placating, "Those are some strong words, kid. Besides I don't want you risking your future right now."

Kagome wrapped her arms around his middle. She buried her face into his chest as her hands released his to clutch at his back.

"I don't care." Her grip grew tighter. "Because right now, you're _worth_ that risk."

Okita wasn't sure how to feel. On one hand he knew that what they were doing was _foolish_. He was the adult and therefore it was his responsibility to ensure she made the right decision. Yet the moment he looked into her eyes he knew that he was lost.

His shoulders sagged.

"There's no winning with you, is there?" From the very beginning he'd been playing into her hands. It was by her rules that he constructed his investigation. It was from her need that he opened up his home to her. Whether she realized the total effect she had on him or not was still up for debate. He shifted his hands into her hair, combing his fingers through the thick strands affectionately. "I hope you know what you're doing." His smile turned wry. Because he sure as hell didn't.

Kagome tilted her chin upwards, "At least I've got _some_ kind of plan."

Okita snorted at that, "We'll see about that." He dipped his head down towards hers. "Shall we move this to the bedroom?"

Her face flushed.

* * *

Okita woke to the sound of Kagome rushing into his bathroom. He sat up, listening as she became nauseous. His brows furrowed in concern.

During their sex last night he'd noticed that her body was much more _sensitive_ than usual. He couldn't hardly touch her without receiving an extreme response. The detective scratched at the back of his neck.

He threw on a pair of sweat pants and padded into the bathroom after her. Okita spoke nothing as he kept her hair out of her face. She'd felt a little ill last night too.

"How long have you been sick?" He waited until she finished to ask.

Kagome shuddered, "A few days. I'm supposed to start in a day or two but usually I don't get sick like this."

That caused his brows to furrow even further. Okita watched as she stood on trembling legs and proceeded to clean her mouth. The timing seemed about right.

He had a suspicion but there was only one way to find out.

Okita wrapped his arms around her lithe waist, "Stay in bed. I'll go bring you something from the store." He tipped his lips to press them against the space behind her ear. "You need to rest."

He could feel her exhaustion in the way she slouched against him. Her body seemed to be running on fumes. She promptly fell asleep after sex the previous night and was only awakened by the bout of nausea.

He shifted his arms to lift her into the air. Kagome gave a small noise of surprise. She clung to his neck as he walked them to his mattress.

"Here," he laid her atop the sheets. "Go back to sleep. I'll go get you some medicine."

His lover sighed. Her eyes dropped but her hand moved to clutch at his tightly.

"Promise you won't run off?" Azure eyes flicked to his. She trembled in his grasp; her fingers clutching at him all the tighter.

Okita softened, "Promise. Do you still have that phone I gave you?"

Kagome nodded once. She gripped his hands as he made a move to stand.

"Good. Call me if you notice anything while I'm gone. I won't be long." The detective leaned over her. The mattress gave a heavy dip the second he pressed his free palm onto it to support his weight. "Rest up." He pressed his lips against her forehead affectionately.

That time Kagome didn't argue. She released his hand—her eyes following after him intently as he left.

The walk to the convenience store was a short one. The blue light of dawn was beginning to crack across the horizon. Okita slipped his hand into his pocket. It was empty. He'd forgotten his cigarettes back at the station. He clenched his teeth into a tight line. Now that was a first.

The familiar chime of the doors rang out as they opened for him. The cashier barely looked in his direction as he trudged his way to the back of the store. His gaze landed on the plethora of colored boxes in front of him.

Okita blanched. Did these things really need to be _that expensive_? He double and triple checked the price before shaking his head. The word 'Digital' was spelled out across the front. He pushed onwards. Clearly anything beyond the 'basic' testing would cost too damn much.

The man scanned through the rest. Pink dye. Blue dye. What was the difference between them? Did it even matter? He paused as he found one with the label 'Early Results' bolded across the front.

"Screw it." Okita plucked it from the shelf. Now all he needed was medicine. He made his way over a few aisles. Grabbing a familiar brand, he strode up towards the counter.

He'd be the first to admit that he'd never felt all that awkward about buying condoms and other such things in his youth. It'd been a mark of pride for him for some time. As his career took off he found himself requiring them less and less. At least until a few weeks ago. That night he'd been stupid not to use any of the spares he'd had in his drawer.

Okita dropped the two items onto the counter. He casually withdrew the cash without paying any heed to the cashier's reaction. Somehow, buying a pregnancy test felt more embarrassing than condoms.

The detective made a hasty retreat as soon as he was handed his items. He rushed through the narrowed alleyways. He kept the bag close to his body with his arm folded in front of it protectively. He didn't want to get caught with it. At least not like this.

Okita ascended his porch. He swiftly made his way back inside.

"I'm back," He called into the silence. He caught the faint sleepy half-moan in response. A tiny smile pulled at his lips. Looked like she was a heavy sleeper. Okita strolled back into his bedroom. Kagome had sat up partially. Her eyes were glossy—as if having a difficult time focusing on her surroundings.

"Rise and shine sweetheart," He pressed his mouth to hers. "I have something I need you to take."

"Souji," Kagome tried to start. He silently pushed the box into her hand. The young woman blinked once then twice before a heavy flush crossed her features. "You don't think…?"

He hushed her with another kiss. The man pulled back after a few seconds, "Better safe than sorry. Go on," he gently pulled her from the mattress and onto her feet. "Might as well do it and find out."

Kagome nodded. She wobbled unsteadily into the bathroom. He heard the click of the latch behind her. Okita fell onto the bed. He splayed his arms out. A coil of nervousness threaded its way through his stomach.

What if she was pregnant? What could they do then? Five minutes felt like hours. When Kagome finally emerged her brows were knitted together.

"Souji, I can't read this." She came to his side. He felt her pass the stick into his hands. The detective glanced down. In one window was a strong blue line. Ah, that was marked the control. Which meant the test was the other window. He scanned it carefully. There, just barely formed, was a thin line that cut across the white.

"I thought I saw something but I wasn't sure." Her brows furrowed. "Is it supposed to look like that?"

Okita pointed the tip of his finger at the line, "There's a line. It's faint but it's there. You're probably still early on so it'll likely be a few more days before it turns darker." A wry smile spread across his lips, "Kid, you're pregnant."

Their world seemed to implode all at once.


	25. Discussions

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Monsters by Ruelle

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Twenty Five** : Discussions

Okita combed his fingers through Kagome's hair. She curled up in his lap. Her body trembled as he held her close to his chest.

"It's fine," He soothed in her ear. "I'll be here."

He knew how terrified she must be. Becoming a parent was stressful enough but Kagome was still in school. She still had a little over three months left. He didn't think she'll start to show until shortly after her graduation so they had that much going for them. The real issue was the court case. It could easily go well beyond those nine months to finish out.

Okita sighed through his nose. Looks like he _really_ needed to get a new house. There was no way the three of them could live here. It was too small for that.

"Souji, what do we do? If this comes out…" Her voice trailed off.

He slanted his lips over hers.

After he pulled back he flashed her a warm smile, "It'll be fine. Besides all this really means is that I've gotta throw Touga's ass in jail even sooner." He smirked at that, "Which is something I promised to do anyways."

They both paused as his phone went off. Kagome tried to get off his lap so that he could take it. Okita kept one arm locked around her waist; preventing her from moving. He pillowed her head to his chest as he answered the call. Right now, she needed his support.

Okita didn't have to speak before the caller addressed him first.

"Come to my office, detective. We have _much_ to discuss." Sesshoumaru snapped on the other line.

Okita blanched, "Yeah, I figured you'd be calling soon. Anyways I'll be over there in an hour. Just forward me the address." With that he hung up.

"Souji, who was that?" Kagome's voice was still somewhat timid.

Okita sighed, "Just an asshole. Anyways as much as I'd like to let you crash, I was serious when I said that things are getting dangerous." He took her face between his hands affectionately. "Think you can go to a friend's place for tonight?"

She nodded, "Alright but Souji," Kagome took hold of his hands with her own. "Be careful."

He smiled at that, "I will."

* * *

Okita glowered at the opulent nature of Sesshoumaru's office. Did _anyone_ in the Omoikiri family know how to be modest? He supposed not given the excessive nature of both father and son.

He tucked his hands into his pockets. Okita strolled through the lobby until he came upon the secretary's desk. She had a firm expression; her gaze focused solely on her task.

"Sesshoumaru called for me." He tried to get her attention. The woman glanced at him. She gestured towards the set of double doors behind her.

"Just go on through. He's already expecting you Detective Okita." She kept her eyes trained on her computer.

Okita shrugged. Well it was probably best to get this over with. He pushed the doors in and closed them behind him.

Sesshoumaru sat at his desk. The man's brows were furrowed as he pinned him with a cool glare.

"Detective," He started, "Do you care to explain why my charge spent the night under your roof last night?"

Ah so they'd been busted. Truth be told he was surprised they hadn't been caught before this. Although Saito and Hijikata both seem to have their suspicions. He relaxed his stance.

"There was something we needed to discuss. So I let her stay rather than sending her back in the middle of the night." It wasn't a complete lie. Kagome _had_ been quite determined to reach him. He just never expected her to camp out on his couch to make that happen.

Sesshoumaru rose to his feet, "Do not think I am a fool. I am not my father." He stepped close to him, "I already know that you two have an intimate relationship. Your behavior towards each other made that clear enough. What I want to know is why a fully grown man has shown so much interest in a girl as vulnerable as her." Golden eyes narrowed into thin slits, "She is not capable of giving you what you want. I will ask this only once, leave the girl be."

Okita closed his eyes. He should've known that this was going to happen eventually. If not Sesshoumaru then Hijikata would've done it.

He folded his arms over his chest, "I'm not going to lie and say that we haven't done anything." Okita kept his calm as he continued, "But the truth of the matter is that this investigation is going a lot deeper than a single murder. Kagome probably suspected it which was why she didn't want to come forward."

That got Sesshoumaru's attention.

The man quirked his brow, "So you slept with her?" His tone was scathing.

Okita sighed, "I'm not making excuses. However right now her life is in danger." He faced the other man directly, "What do you think will happen if Touga finds out she's been feeding information to the police? He's already killed Inuyasha for getting in his way."

Sesshoumaru's glare turned icy.

Okita pushed forward before he could interrupt him, "Here's the deal. We've got ourselves a fucking hole that just keeps going deeper. We've got no idea who's all connected just that Touga is at the center of it." He stepped closer. "Right now Touga wants _her_ and he's going to employ any method necessary to make that happen. He's already sent his fucking goons to my house so I can't keep her there without putting her at risk."

Okita didn't stop, "So that just leaves you. I know you're worried. Hell you wouldn't have called me here if you weren't. You would've thrown both of those kids out ASAP if you weren't worried." He narrowed his eyes at the other male. "So you've gotta make a choice. You going to keep protecting her or are you going to throw her into the pit?"

Sesshoumaru was silent for a long moment. He scratched at his chin as if carefully going over his words.

"I should mention," Okita lowered his voice. "We just found out that she's pregnant."

Golden eyes snapped to him. They were cold and filled with an unusually strong amount of paternal protectiveness.

He held up his hands, "It was my screw up but I'm not walking out. I'll make damn sure she still finishes school and puts her future first." The subtle anger didn't leave Sesshoumaru's expression. "All I ask is that you keep her safe until she graduates. I'll find us someplace after that."

Sesshoumaru's tone was sharp, "Do you intend to marry her?"

He honestly hadn't thought about it much. With the news being so abrupt he'd been too caught up in the idea of being a father to think about anything else.

He looked back at him, "Yeah. I do."

* * *

Kagome fidgeted nervously. Her body was still sore. Her lower back ached, her thighs burned and even her abdomen felt cramped.

It was amazing how many things people _didn't_ mention when they talked about pregnancy. She'd only thought the whole 'peeing incessantly' thing was something that hit after the baby was pressing on the bladder, but oh no! It was already starting. Kagome slammed her forehead upon her desk. She had to ask to go to the bathroom no less than five times. _Five_! It was hardly past their lunch either.

She'd gone in a little later this morning after Okita had seen her off. She'd dropped by Sesshoumaru's house to change clothes and grab what she needed to. She shot her guardian a quick text about staying out at Katsumi'd that night but he hadn't said anything since.

A coil of nervousness chilled her insides. What was she supposed to do?

"Kagome!" Katsumi flung her arms around her neck. "Is it true?!" She shook her rapidly with each word she spoke.

Kagome stiffened as to keep from being thrown around too much, "Is what true?" She leveled her friend with a curious look.

Katsumi shoved her phone in her face.

"Look! Apparently Izumi's gone public and said that she's filing for divorce!" Katsumi arm's tightened their hold over her. "Is that why you've been at our place? I don't mind but I'm worried for you." She nuzzled her head affectionately.

Kagome braced her palms upon her friend's forearms, "I'm fine, actually I don't really know all that much about the divorce either. I'd been staying out so much it all sort of flew over my head."

Her lips thinned at the thought. If her mother was leaving now then she likely got whatever it was that she'd wanted. Her gaze scanned the title of the article thoughtfully.

 _Most Expensive Divorce in Japan! Omoikiri and his Wife Call it Quits!_

It was the typical tabloid trash but something about it stuck out to her. Expensive? Didn't Touga at least sign a prenup? Surely he couldn't have been foolish enough to marry without that sort of protection. He knew her mother's past especially well.

A sickening feeling coiled in her stomach. She clapped a hand to her mouth as another wave of nausea hit.

Oh great, just what she needed.

"You feeling alright? You're looking a little pale?" Katsumi releases her.

Kagome flashed the girl a reassuring smile, "I'm fine, just gonna go use the restroom real quick." She swiftly made her way out of the classroom.

She stumbled into the bathroom in the nick of time. A couple of girls flew out of their stalls as the nausea hit her with full force. Her body shook and trembled as another wave hit her.

Kagome slumped to the floor. Perhaps it'd be best if she just stayed here for now. Her eyes drifted towards her phone. She'd have to call Okita soon.

This whole divorce situation was weird.

Her brows pinched together, "Not again…"

She hunched over the toilet as her body became wracked with nausea. Who in their right mind said that this was _morning_ sickness, it was well past noon!

Kagome glowered. This was _not_ fun.

* * *

Okita rubbed his jaw. He had to say, he didn't expect Sesshoumaru to _hit_ him like that. Ah well, if that's what he had to do to keep the guy from shipping Kagome off just yet then it was well worth it. His hand dropped to his phone.

Across the front Kagome's contact flashed at him. An odd feeling needled at his gut. She never called him at this time. She still had a couple of hours left at school. He answered quickly.

"What's wrong?" Okita didn't bother to hide his concern.

"I actually wanted to ask you something." Her voice sounded weak; as if she'd been ill for some time. "I just saw a tabloid about Touga and my mother divorcing. It doesn't sound like he had a prenup."

Okita leaned against the office building's wall, "You sure it's legit? Those things are always full of crap."

Kagome sighed on the other side, "I think there's some merit to it. Besides the regular news stations are starting to cover it, I cross checked to be safe." There was the sound of ruffling clothes, as if she were shifting around. "Anyways all of them are saying that it's going to be the most expensive in the country. I thought it was weird because Touga knew what kind of person my mother was before he married her. There's no way he wouldn't have signed a prenup."

Okita caught onto her drift, "Unless she had something over him. He would've gone without a prenup if she'd blackmailed him."

Kagome made a sound of agreement, "Yeah, that's the only thing I can think. She probably went in knowing that they'd eventually divorce. They might even have an agreement somewhere about shares in the event of a divorce."

Okita thought it over carefully. He could only think of one thing Izumi would have over Touga's head. One offer that would've made her valuable enough to keep alive. A wave of protectiveness went through him.

"Kid, be extra careful. This is probably going to set the bastard off. Don't go anywhere by yourself for any reason. If you need, you can hang around the station. That'll be safer than public at this point." His brows furrowed, "Also did you need anything? I could drop by and get you something. You're sounding a little sick again."

Kagome sighed on the other end of the line, "Been having morning sickness all day." She sounded so worn out to him. It was worrying.

"But Katsumi and I are leaving soon. I'll text you once I make it to her place." Kagome paused, "Be safe, Souji. Try not to get reckless. We need you."

A smile pulled at his lips. He knew exactly who she was referencing.

Okita dropped his hand away from his pocket, "Will do, also you want to think up of some names or do you want me to do it?" By now he was mostly teasing her. He just wanted her to take her mind off all this shit. It wouldn't be healthy for her.

Kagome laughed, "I'll think about that _later_. Right now I'm _starving_ , so we're going to pick up some food first."

A wide grin split across his lips, "Cravings hit already?"

"No, just _hungry_." She shot back. "Anyways I've gotta go. Be safe, Souji." She repeated the line before the call ended.

He had almost tucked it back into his pocket before it started to ring again. Okita glanced at the contact. It was Saito.

He answered, "Is this about the divorce?"

His partner gave a noise of agreement, "Somewhat. Higurashi Izumi is at the station now. She says that she'll only speak to you."

Okita glowered, "I'll be there."

He could guess what she wanted from him. The man pushed off the wall with his foot.

He was about to get his answers one way or another. His hand tightened over his phone.

He'd make damn sure of it.


	26. The High Court

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Lorde

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Twenty Six** : The High Court

Okita arrived at the station in record time. His jaw set in a firm line as he pushed his way through the halls towards the interrogation room. Whatever it was that Izumi wanted, he damn sure wasn't going to give it to her. The woman had spent her entire life abusing people, blackmailing others and slithering her way around the justice system. Her existence was a farce in the face of justice. Just once, he wanted to see her without that smug little smile on her face. Especially when he slapped the cuffs on her wrists.

His eyes narrowed at her. She leaned her back against the support of the plastic chair. Her form was slender—almost absurdly so. She was hardly anything more than flesh over bones. Mostly likely an effect from the years of drug abuse. She had that same blank expression she'd worn the night of the murder. Sure, she faked those tears for as long as she could but her eyes had been completely lifeless. Today was no different.

Okita made his way towards Saito, "She say anything yet?"

His partner shook his head negatively. The man stopped. His eyes narrowed on the slight bruising that was beginning to form over his jawline.

"Souji, what did you do?"

He flashed the other male a confident smirk, "Bar fight. Now come on, let's go."

They went into the interrogation room together. It was the same one that they put Kagome in, only this time the table had been replaced. They'd set it up so that her back would be against the wall. It was a psychological tactic they'd employed. Sometimes the physical barrier helped people break down enough to confess to their sordid crimes. Izumi would be no different so long as he did his job.

Okita took the seat across from her.

Those lifeless, azure eyes slid towards him. They reminded him of a serpent.

"What happened to your face?"

He gave the same response, "Bar fight. Now you going to start talking or am I going to have to arrest you to make you talk?"

Her lips curled in a viper-like manner.

She made his fucking skin crawl.

"Of course, after all, my husband now wants me dead." She tucked one foot under the other ankle. That faint smile became a little wider.

Okita folded his arms over the desk, "Then start talking. We already know about Touga's connections."

She quirked a brow at that, "Oh but do you know _all_ of them detective? I do. Certainly you could spend your time more wisely than just agitating someone who's come here to give you information."

So that was what she was after. The man bristled at the thought. This wasn't just some ploy to save her pathetic hide from death. She wanted immunity against prosecution, perhaps even some sort of plea deal to lessen her sentencing.

Fucking wench.

Saito picked up on his souring mood and decided to interject.

"If you will," He leaned forward to address her directly. "Please explain what you mean by Touga wanting you dead?"

That caught the woman's attention. For once, she did not put up any platitudes nor false tears. She was calm, collected and most of all uncaring. Just as she'd always been.

Fire raged through Okita's veins. This woman hadn't done a damn thing to help her own children. She'd squandered her own cash to feed her addictions. She left her infants covered in filth and refused to do anything more than yell, scream, slap and berate her oldest. To him, there was nothing worth saving about this woman. He was merely surprised she had given birth to someone like Kagome.

Izumi started, "I'm sure that you're already aware of the reason why Touga never chose to adopt Kagome."

Okita narrowed his eyes at her, "Of course. What's most shocking is your willingness to go along with it." His tone turned caustic, "Tell me, do you make a habit of sleeping with any man who wants to fuck your daughter or did you simply turn a blind eye because of the money he flashed at you?"

Saito glared at him, "Souji, calm down."

He folded his arms over his chest but sat back all the same. He couldn't get angry. Not here. Not now. They had too damn much riding on this. He wasn't willing to give the broad any sort of plea deal but he'd take her information and throw them both as deep into the prison system as far as he could chuck them.

Izumi pushed onward, "Touga spent a lot of time at the Higure shrine before its condemnation. As such I picked up on his attitude towards her early on. Since she was six his eyes had only seen her." Her voice was flat—as if talking about the weather. Perhaps this was her true nature being exposed. Just an empty shell of a person that once was.

"I caught wind through a man named Naraku that Touga was intending on filing for emergency custody of my children. At the time I knew that he was going to paint me negatively to the courts so I fought back as much as I could. I didn't give a damn if he took them off of me or not, but I knew that he wasn't going to let up unless I was locked up."

That same serpentine smile spread across her lips, "So I decided to make things easy for us. I pulled as much dirt on him as I could. Due to my connections I already knew about his little pay-to-play scheme and all the perks that came with it." She relayed the fact as if she were proud of it. Okita felt a chill run through his body. This wasn't a mother. It was a _monster_. His brother-in-law had been a drunk that'd beaten him senseless every night. His sister had been passive to her husband's aggression. She'd thrown him out the first time he'd raised his fist to Rintarou in retaliation. Yet for as shitty as his youth was growing up without his actual parents, he _never_ could have fathomed a person being as cold and unfeeling as this. Even that prisoner Jirou had felt _some_ remorse.

"I told Touga that he either help me with my case and ensure my future, or I would expose him and his little group to the world. I knew that if I didn't offer him something enticing in return he would've had me killed on the spot. That was Inuyasha's mistake, you know." Again with the arrogant pride that seemed to pour out of her very being. His hands curled into tight fists. "So I gave him a deal. He drop the lawsuit, offer marriage with a fifty-fifty split in profits during our divorce and let me live, then I would not only keep my mouth shut but I'd willingly hand Kagome over to him during the night of the gala."

Her smile turned coy, "I would've done it sooner but our hands were tied. Some laws must be obeyed regardless of circumstances." She closed her eyes, "Unfortunately the gala didn't quite go our way. After Kagome went into hiding I assumed that she decided to spill everything to the police. Girl thought she was smart but I knew where she was going." Her smirk sharpened. "Don't you wish to know, detective?"

Okita bristled, "You filthy..."

Saito yanked him back into his seat by his shoulder.

"The galas, what _exactly_ is their importance? Is there more that you're not telling us?" The man was keen. He could pick apart any person before they realized that they'd even made a mistake. Izumi's cunning wasn't any match for his experience in this field.

She rested her cheek upon the fist of her hand, "Indeed." That time she cocked her head to the side and shot him a coy glance. "The group you're looking for likes to fancy themselves as a High Court. In fact that was even the name that they gave each other." Izumi continued, "No one knows who created it exactly but Touga rose to the top within a matter of months. Their goal is simple: to spread their wealth and influence as much as possible. They trade in monetary _and_ human resources. As luck would have it, many of them have preferences that run on the... _fresh_ side."

Okita stiffened, "You mean minors."

"I mean teenagers, detective." Izumi corrected him. "They crave the flesh of youth but have little interest in anything younger than fourteen. Virginity is a large part of the upsell." Her fingers thrumbed across the surface of the table, as if she were already bored of this conversation. "When Touga first joined he ended up negotiation a lot of the contracts. Many of the men have children of their own and daughters around his age of preference. At one point the girls became apart of the bargaining. The men would trade their daughter's innocence for wealth and clout."

Her gaze drifted towards the stained ceiling above them, "I was one of those girls. My father was a simple man who came into too much money, too quickly. He sold me sold off at fourteen before the prior eighteen year agreement. That was set in place after the rumors of Touga's affair with Izayoi went public. They couldn't risk another fallout should another man be caught with a girl below the age of consent." Her tone implicated her lack of care despite the words that she spoke. It sickened him. Izumi didn't stop, "Although Izayoi was a rare case. Touga became so infatuated with her that he actually ended up marrying her. Most times that is not the case."

She shifted topics, "One of the provisions for these agreements is that the girls can be traded around at will with all the members between the time that she's has her virginity taken and the time that she comes of age at twenty years old. Think of it as them trying to get the most use out of their product." A thoughtful look crossed her features, "Also it gives enough time to pass for the girls to sign a legally binding non disclosure act. Why do you think that Chouhou girl won't come forward?"

Her smile caused a visceral feeling of hatred to shoot through him. Human trafficking, sexual exploitation of vulnerable girls and blackmail—did these bastards have _any_ standards?

Her smile curled upwards in a sneer, "However here's the most interesting part. Touga made a rather unique provision to Kagome's gala. Only he would have the chance to take her and even afterwards she was to go on as his 'intern' at his company." The woman relaxed her shoulders as she shot him a confident look. "He was determined to make her his and his alone. That had upset quite a few people. The price for her innocence was well into the millions. Touga's refusal to hand her over made quite a few of his crowd quite angry, although Naraku was the most furious."

Izumi uncrossed her legs as she leaned forward, "He'd weaseled his way into earning Touga's trust. He'd grown quite infatuated with Kagome and had offered the highest price on her. Touga didn't even spare him a thought. Just threw his cash back in his face and told him to never approach them again. Since then Naraku's set the gears in motion to take Touga down so he can replace him at the top of the High Court _and_ take Kagome for himself."

A rare spark of something warm touched her features, "I'm rather proud. That girl surpassed all expectations. It takes weeks of negotiations to recruit men with daughters of bargaining age. Even then it takes much longer to loosen them to the idea." Izumi dropped all appearance of motherly affection. In its place was the frigid smile of a cold-blooded monster. "Truly one of a kind, that child. It's a shame her tastes run for men in uniform."

It took everything he had to not jump across the table and wrap his hands around her neck.

There was something so unbearably cold about this woman. She held no warmth. No kindness. Not even a shred of humanity to her. The things she said. The things she was admitting to. They all sickened him.

Okita sucked a breath through his nose, "So now you want protection since he's going to kill you, is that it?"

Her lips quirked up, "I assumed that was obvious, detective."

Saito furrowed his brows, "We must speak with our supervisor. In the mean time you will remain at the station under watch."

She didn't bat a lash at the subtle threat.

The woman kept a cool head as she shrugged her shoulders, "Suit yourself but do note that this offer is only for a limited time. Use my words all you want but without a lawyer present it wouldn't do much good in the court of law."

Okita snapped, "We'll see about that. I'll make damn sure you're sitting right next to that bastard in your jail cell. That way he can wring your neck himself." The man slammed the door behind them as he left.

He took a moment to calm himself. He couldn't talk to anyone while he was _this_ furious.

Okita breathed through his nose. His hand dropped to his empty pocket. His teeth gnashed together. He'd purposely left them at home that time. With the discovery of Kagome's pregnancy, he decided to test himself—to see if he could resist the urge to pull out a cigarette. Looks like he failed in that mission.

The detective sighed to himself. He didn't like this. The idea of protecting that filth didn't sit well with him. He was supposed to be unbiased but in this case, he knew he was far from it. The very notion caused his insides to freeze with disgust. Even more than that was the feeling that he'd be betraying Kagome somehow. This was the woman who'd harmed her and willingly tried to hand her over to Touga just for the sake of saving her own hide. He _couldn't_ fathom taking her under his protection.

"Souji," Hijikata approached him. "Saito filled me in. I'm having him take her into protective custody." Violet eyes sharpened into slits, "But make no mistake, her ass isn't getting any kind of deal. I've already talked to Sanan."

Okita felt his lips quirk, "Sounds good to me." If Sanan was taking this case then he wouldn't have to worry. That bastard was as slippery as lawyers came. He'd even took on a yakuza sect before. Those had been some interesting days.

"Also," His superior softened a little. "Good work, Souji. I know you've been spending most of your time trying to get Higurashi to open up. Looks like it's been working."

Okita smirked, "Ah it's no fun if you guessed it. How long have you known?"

Hijikata sighed, "From the beginning. You're not as clever as you think." The man relaxed his stance, "Well so long as you aren't sleeping with her then it's not a problem."

Okita looked away. Yeah, about that…

Hijikata pinned him with an unenthused glare, "Souji, you _didn't_ sleep with her right?"

The detective waved at the other man as he turned to leave, "Sorry but I've got a few things to check into. I'll just leave the rest to your imagination."

"Souji!"

* * *

Kagome curled up in the sheets of the bed Katsumi had offered her. The good news: she no longer felt ill. The bad news: she was utterly _exhausted_!

The young woman rolled to her side. Her eyes began to drift closed with her phone started to vibrate noisily. Kagome shot up. At first she thought it was the phone Okita had given her but when she looked down it was her old phone—the one from Touga. The air in her lungs froze.

She only kept it at Katsumi's or Sesshoumaru's house. Okita did mention that it'd be good to watch it sporadically in case Touga tried to contact her. So that was what she did.

Kagome swallowed. She reached out and opened the messages. There were dozens of them. All sent from Touga. Her eyes scanned through them. She couldn't make any sense of it. They were a jumbled mess of letters and numbers, nothing that she could accurately decipher.

Her hand twitched. Was it some sort of message? A type of code maybe?

Kagome jumped as her other phone began to ring. She felt her face flush. She knew who that would be.

"Souji," She greeted the man on the other end of the line. "How'd things go?" She'd bring up the messages in a bit. For now she just wanted to hear his voice. Kagome threw herself back onto the mattress.

Okita sighed, "Izumi came forward. She's offering a written statement in exchange for protection." His tone grew sour. That caught her attention.

"Is she attempting to get a plea deal?" A coil of nervousness settled inside of her. Her mother had _always_ been good at skirting the law. She had proven herself capable of slithering her way against the grain. If anyone could escape justice, it'd be her.

Okita snorted, "Not happening. Hijikata already said that he's not going to be that generous. Only thing we're offering is safety. Sanan's gonna decide what charged to book her with." The man sighed as his tone softened, "But what about you, kid? How're you feeling?"

A warm smile crossed her lips, "Tired but at least I'm not sick anymore. It'll probably come back tomorrow."

Okita gave a small laugh, "Yeah probably, but good news is that it's supposed to let up in the second trimester."

"Oh, so you looked it up?" Kagome started to tease him.

Her companion's tone grew softer yet, "Of course. Can't let you suffer on your own. Although I'm so _not_ looking forward to the midnight craving runs."

She fell into a fit of laughter. That was one thing she loved about Okita. No matter what he always seemed to make her smile and laugh.

"Thanks Souji," Her smile softened. "For everything."

He didn't answer her but she thought that she could hear him smiling.

Her old phone vibrated again—drawing Kagome's attention to it. That was right.

"Souji," The young woman started. "I just got a bunch of messages from Touga."

"What kind of messages?" The sudden sharpness in his voice did not surprise her.

"They're strange. I can't make sense of any of them. It's like they're coded or something. Just a bunch of letters and numbers." Kagome searched through them. "Looks like he's sent forty in the last half hour… oh, make that forty-one." She corrected herself as another came in.

"I'll look at it. Are you at the Yamada's?" She heard his coat ruffling as if he were putting it on.

Kagome gave a noise of affirmation, "Yeah. Katsumi's letting me use one of their spare rooms. How long before you get here?" She sat up.

Okita responded quickly, "Ten minutes. Just rest until I get there."

She nodded, "Alright, I'll be waiting."

The line went dead. Her face flushed. Okita was coming here. Although it was because he wanted to take a look at the messages from Touga but she felt the slight rush of excitement at the thought of seeing him. Perhaps it was because it was in a new setting or maybe it was because of her hormones already flying out of control. Either way, she was glad.

* * *

Okita reached the Yamada residence in record time. The tight feeling in his chest didn't let up until he saw Kagome waiting for them upon their doorstep. He swept her into his arms, pulling her close to him as he did. At that moment he didn't care _who_ saw them. Only that she was safe.

"Souji what happened?" Kagome tried to start. Her fingers trailed along the bruise that'd formed over his jaw. He slanted his mouth over hers. He didn't want to hear words at the moment. All he wanted was to assure both himself and her that she was safe. He drew back after a moment, eyes gaze shifting down to meet hers.

"Just a bar fight," Okita teased her. His expression grew serious, "You alright?" He took in her appearance carefully. She was still a little pale from the morning sickness but she sounded better now at least.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Here," She pushed her old phone into his hands. "Take a look at that. It's up to sixty now."

Okita glared at the screen. Just as she said it seemed like a long stream of nonsensical letters and numbers. He had to take it to Heisuke for analysis. Chances were that it was some kind of code like Kagome suspected.

"I'll get it looked at. Touga will probably think you've gone to the police so I've asked a patrol to keep an eye out tonight." He pocketed her phone as he held her to him. "Saito is going to take you into the station in the morning. They want your statement on file. Think you can do that?"

She froze. Her eyes were wide but as quickly as he spotted it, her features shifted into one of quiet determination.

"Will it put him away?"

Okita smiled, "It'll help. Besides, better we get it on record anyways. If he tries to pull shit we can prove a history of violence."

That thought unsettled him. His grip tightened around her waist.

"Alright, I'll do it."

Okita pressed his mouth to hers once more, "Good girl."

He winced at the sharp pinch in his side.

"Alright, I get you. You don't like that very much." He released her after several long moments. "I'll get this in. You should get some rest. You need it."

Kagome hugged his middle, "Be safe." Her arms tightened for a second. Before he could return the gesture she'd already started to make her way inside. The young woman stopped as if she remembered something, "Oh, don't forget to call!"

Okita waved, "I won't."

He watched as she went back into the house. What he didn't tell her was that there were already guards en route to the Yamada residence. Yamazaki was spear heading the effort to ensure her safety. It was a trade off he'd managed to wrangle out of Hijikata. Would've been easier if he could talk to Kondou but they had their rules in place for a reason.

Okita turned. First he had to get this analyzed. It didn't look good.

* * *

Okita had forgotten how _dark_ Heisuke liked to keep his office. All the lights were shut off and the entire room was difficult to navigate. The man was still typing away at his computer. The bright light of the device blinded him to the danger that lurked so near.

A smirk spread across Okita's lips. This was going to be fun.

A boy band that he noted was one of Chizuru's favorites played from his computer.

"Ah, come on you bastards. Give me what I need!" The young man grumbled. Sweat coated the space above his brow.

Okita crept up behind him. His smirk turned vicious as he quickly wrapped one arm around Heisuke's neck.

"Any last words?"

Heisuke clawed at his sleeve, "Souji you bastard! Let me go!"

He released him, laughing wildly as he did.

"Didn't I already tell you to keep your guard up?" His smirk returned in full force. "Oh and should I let Chizuru know that you're copying her tastes again?"

Heisuke sank back into his seat. He glowered at him as he continued to grumble incoherently.

"You must really be doing _something_ good if she keeps running back to you." Okita slung one arm around his neck. "So, you need any pointers about how to spice things up? I'm sure even you've got a set of cuffs lying around somewhere."

"Souji!" Heisuke's face flushed a deep shade of scarlet. "Cut the shit already. You didn't just come here to bug me about my relationship. So what's going on?" His face shifted into a serious expression. "Does it have something to do with your case?"

Okita sighed through his nose, "Pretty sharp for a short fry. Here," He tossed the phone at him. "Think you can decipher those messages?"

His friend's lip curled into a confident grin, "Give me five minutes tops." He turned around, copying the long string of nonsensical messages down. His eyes narrowed as he began to translate them at once.

"This guy's a damn idiot, what'd he use, a coding for idiots guide?" At the three minute mark he'd finished the rough translation. "For starters this is some pretty rudimentary technique. Touga probably used it since he thought it could be deciphered easily. Unfortunately he was too stupid to figure out how to do it correctly so it's a bit of a jumbled mess."

Heisuke handed him the note he'd transcribed the message on, "Either that or he did it on purpose to avoid getting hit with a blackmail charge. Regardless there's the message in full and cleaned up. Our friend has decided to apply a bit of pressure."

Okita read through it.

 _You have until New Year's. I don't want to do this. Can't you see how much I love you? But you leave me little choice. If you do not return to me by then, both your brother and that detective you fancy so much will suffer the same as Inuyasha. Don't make me do this, Kagome. Soon you'll understand. Their lives are now in your hands. Choose wisely._

Okita felt his blood begin to boil beneath his skin. So the bastard decided to threaten both him _and_ Souta did he? Well he'd just have to correct that.

"Heisuke," He tucked the paper into his pocket. "I need you to call everyone into a meeting first thing in the morning. I've gotta go secure the kids." He turned on the ball of his heel.

Soon, he'd throw both Izumi and Touga in jail—right where they belonged.

His hand gripped the note all the tighter.

He had to.


	27. Risk

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Smells Like Teen Spirit as performed by Think Up Anger (Feat. Malia J)

 _ **The Space Between**_

 **Chapter Twenty Seven** : Risk

Kagome shifted in Saito's passenger seat. She'd only had a few short conversations with him previously but even those had taken place in the interrogation room. There was an odd tension that swelled between them. As Okita had said last night, his partner had dropped by early that morning to pick her up. He hardly spoken a word since then.

"Detective," Kagome started, "If it's alright for me to ask but, just _how_ good is the evidence against Touga right now?" She chewed on her bottom lip nervously, "As far as I know it's only the written statements from my mother and the one I'll be filling one out myself after we reach the station." Her brows furrowed as she pressed onwards, "Outside of movies and tv shows, I don't really know how much weight that'll actually carry when trying to convict him."

Saito was silent for a short moment. Then he began to speak. His voice was calm and his demeanor set the slight feeling of nervousness she had at ease. There was a strange essence of serenity to his otherwise sharp personality.

"Statements alone are not strong enough to prove wrong doing in the court of law." The low vibration of the car's idle filled the silence as they sat at a red light. "First we require evidence of a crime. Inuyasha's murder still does not have enough to connect his involvement." The car pulled forward through the intersection cautiously as the light flashed green.

"The written statements will help provide motive and locations to start looking for what we need. Our technical analyst is currently following money sources connected to the case," The detective never took his eyes from the road. Kagome noticed for the first time that his vehicle was close to five years old by now.

It was a Grey Nissan Versa Note with the same plain cloth interior as it'd originally had. Except all the seats were kept spotless. There wasn't a speck of dirt or dust anywhere to be seen. Even the small navigation screen in the dash didn't have so much as a smudge upon it. Saito clearly liked to keep his things neat and orderly. She briefly wondered if he'd ever allowed Okita into it at all.

He explained further, "Our goal right now is to connect all the pieces together to formulate a strong case against him. If we are not careful then he can take a plea deal and avoid jail time in exchange for lighter sentencing." Saito gently pulled into the station's parking lot. He took a spot at the center beneath a lamp post. He shifted gear into park and the far gave a short roll forward before the break caught.

Kagome waited for him to undo his seatbelt before she reached for hers.

"So you're saying that as it stands we don't have enough to convict." She gnawed on the knuckle of her index finger nervously.

Saito closed his eyes, "That is unfortunately correct." He put his hand at the space between her shoulders as he ushered her inside. "Souji, your guardian, Yukimura and a few of our superiors are already waiting."

The man stopped as if a thought crossed his mind, "Higurashi," He addressed her directly.

Kagome stopped. She tilted her chin to meet his concerned gaze.

"You needn't push yourself too far." Saito began to start walking, forcing her to do much the same. "Regardless of circumstances we will ensure that justice is met."

Kagome felt a small smile pull at her lips. Saito was stoic and calm but there was something genuinely kind about him as well. It was strange how great he and Okita worked together but perhaps their opposing personalities aided in that.

She smiled, "Thank you, detective."

It might have been her eyes playing tricks on her but just for a single moment she could've sworn that she saw a blush darken the space above his nose and redden the tips of his ears.

She clasped her hands behind her back. Without a doubt, she knew that she could trust them. Both Okita and Saito.

Okita furrowed his brow at the slight flush that darkened his partner's cheeks. After talking to Heisuke last night, he'd made an emergency visit to Sesshoumaru's house and talked to him once more. He, Rin, Souta and their live-in attendant, Jaken, had been quickly moved to a police enforced safe house. With the kids under guard, he'd left Saito to pick up Kagome in the morning.

His eyes narrowed as the man coughed into his fist; clearly trying to dispel the heat from his face. Perhaps that'd been a mistake to send her with him. Saito was unruffled most days but he was easily offset by female attention of any kind outside of the work setting.

Okita fought down the lance of jealousy that shot through him. Kagome shifted away from Saito and casually came to his side. He shot her a questioning look. The young woman merely shrugged her shoulders. Clearly she wasn't too sure what'd caused it either.

Okita stuck close to her. He prevented himself from wrapping an arm around her waist possessively. As much as he'd like to do it, that would put him precisely the situation they wanted to avoid the most.

"Looks like everyone is here," Hijikata announced. "Higurashi," The man pinned her with a sharp glance. "We'll be taking your statement first. Yukimura is offering to go in as your attorney."

He watched as she offered the other woman a grateful smile, "Thank you, I think that'll be best. The less loop holes they have to exploit, the better the case will be."

Hijikata nodded at him, "Souji, you and Saito hang back. Kondou and I will be handling the interview."

He had a sneaky suspicion as to why that was. He'd made their relationship somewhat obvious to him the other day. He'd only meant to tease him but Hijikata was a careful man. By performing the interview themselves, they were cutting out the chance of personal bias getting in the way.

He felt her shoulder lean into his arm. He didn't have to look to know that she was scared. Hell they were going to have to move her to a separate safe house after this just to make sure she stayed out of harm's way during the rest of the investigation. Touga _and_ Naraku had set their sights on her. They couldn't take any chances.

"When you're ready, we'll begin."

Kagome nodded firmly, "Let's go."

She walked past him. Okita folded his arms over his chest as he watched them enter into interrogation room.

All that was left to do was to just wait.

Kagome sighed.

She stretched her arms high above her head as a sigh escaped her nose. That had taken _entirely_ too long. Four hours and her stomach was already starting to growl miserably. She felt her face flush as it gave another low rumble.

Clearly even the early stages of pregnancy was fraught with extreme bouts of hunger.

"Need to feed the beast?" Okita cast her a wry grin.

Her face flushed even darker. She knew exactly what he was referencing.

"If you don't mind."

Okita led her to a commons area. It was simple with a microwave, refrigerator and a few tables. He scoured the contents of the fridge. His brows furrowed as he did.

"And looks like Heisuke forgot to clean the old shit out… _again_." He lifted a container of pickles and scowled at the date listed on its side. "You craving delivery? There's a pretty good pizza joint not too far from here."

Kagome grinned, "You know how to speak my language."

She'd taken a spot at the table as lunch passed by. The pizza Okita ordered had arrived within fifteen minutes and it took her even less time to fill up. By the time she was done, Hijikata and the rest began to filter into the kitchen.

Okita tightened his grip over the back of her chair. He rose to his feet and stood beside her protectively.

"What is it?"

She could tell from his expression that it would not be good news. He cast her an odd look before Okita urged him to speak.

Hijikata sighed, "Have you found anything in Touga's network?"

Her companion shifted closer to her, "It's like a pack of rats. They're either running or shutting their traps. Heisuke's probably going to be the best bet at tying them together."

She leaned towards him. Was this a conversation she was supposed to be hearing? She wasn't certain at this point.

"Sir," Kagome interrupted their conversation. "May I ask you something?"

Hijikata stopped. He didn't speak but she could tell that he wished for her to continue. So she did.

"Without any of the hard evidence tying Touga to Inuyasha's murder, what's the likelihood of him being put away?" They both fell silent at her request. She knew what she had to say next would be crazy but perhaps it'd just might work.

"At this point we don't know who all he's connected to. Touga is comfortable enough to send coded threats. So he thinks he's already gotten away with it." She twisted her hands upon her lap. "We might never be able to recover any physical evidence tying Touga to Inuyasha's death. He probably called in someone skilled in that sort of thing."

Okita stared at her intently. She could feel the heat of his gaze upon her neck—as if burning her with its intensity. He was scared. She knew that, but there was only one method she could think of to fix this. Just one way to get rid of Touga once and for all.

"If that's the case then the only way we'll be able to get him is if we make him confess." She met Hijikata's gaze. "To Inuyasha's murder, his involvement with the High Court, the girls he's victimized—we need to make him admit it."

Okita angled his head to cast her a cautious look, "How _exactly_ do you suppose we do that?" The sharpness in his tone indicated the concern he felt. She knew that the very last thing he'd wanted was to put her in danger. Yet perhaps that was their only option at this point.

Kagome shifted her attention to him, "New Year's."

He started, "Are you insane? You can't just throw yourself at him like that! This isn't some sort of movie, kid. Getting wired up and going in there like that can have _dire_ consequences." Okita stepped in front of her. His palms gripped her shoulders firmly. It didn't hurt but he refused to let her move away from him. "What happens if Touga finds out? You think you can handle him on your own?" The man pushed onwards, "Even if he doesn't suspect a thing, how will _you_ get out of there unscathed? We both know what he wants. It's too dangerous!"

She saw him bite down on his lips, as if holding back. The words he wanted to say circled around in her head.

 _Her pregnancy._

She instinctively dropped her hand to her abdomen. She twisted her fingers into the cloth of her shirt.

She knew how dangerous this idea was. It was foolish.

Kagome met his gaze once more, "I'm willing to do this because I trust you." She fought to keep herself from taking his hands into her own. Hijikata was still standing a short distance away. She couldn't do anything just yet. "I won't be going in there by myself. You guys haven't given me a reason to doubt you yet, so I'm willing to do this much." Her voice sharpened, "Especially if it will put him away."

Okita looked as if to argue. However Kondou, Saito and Sesshoumaru made their way towards them.

"Souji, the kid's got a point." Hijikata shifted his attention towards her guardian. "I don't have to remind either of you how dangerous this plan is but it is a viable option."

Kagome peered over towards him, "I'm willing to do it. If going in there is what it takes to send Touga behind bars then so be it." Her voice grew sharp with the determination she felt. "I won't let him victimize anyone else."

Okita kept hold of her. His lips pressed into a thin line as he bowed his head.

She lowered her voice to speak to him directly, "Souji, you know it's the only way." Kagome didn't stop, "Do you think you can trust me on this? I won't do anything reckless."

He sucked a breath through his nose.

"Hijikata," Okita spoke with a tone that was far calmer than she anticipated. "I'm going in with her."

The other male folded his arms over his chest, "I assumed as such." He glanced back to Sesshoumaru. "The final say goes to you. You're her guardian and as such you can refuse."

Golden eyes slid towards her. He gave her that same analytical glare that she'd grown used to. She'd learned that he was an earnest man in his own right. He simply did not allow others to see that softer side to his nature. In this case, she already knew what his answer would be.

"If she has decided then I will not go against that." Sesshoumaru glared over at Okita. "See to it that she is safe detective."

With that he spun on his heel and stalked out of the kitchen.

Okita gently pulled her to her feet. He kept one hand clasped on her shoulder as he used the other to shoo away his colleagues.

Kagome peered up at him. A pained expression overtook his features as he struggled to keep his composure.

"Hey," She interlaced their hands together after the others left. "Trust me."

Okita wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest. He buried his nose into the nape of her neck.

"I'll try."


End file.
